Such a Pure Thing
by Wolfykhjak
Summary: It has been a year after the Mizo incident in Kras City. Jak and Daxter have been condoned to Dead Town to live because of the fears of Jak. But, one snowy morning Jak wakes up to find that Dark showed up that night, but to still find Dark Eco in Jak.
1. Chapter 1 Snow

Woot! My first story! There will be more chapters soon! I hope... Jak belongs to Naughty Dog Inc.

Jak woke up saw some snow, but finds something had happened to him that night... concerning our friend Dark. But something is wrong, the dark eco is still there. It should be gone, right?

This chapter isn't really teen, but the following will be because of language and some other stuff.

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1. Snow

Snow such a pure, white substance. It was amazing that something so pure could even exist in such a putrid place like Haven City. The man sharing his thought with us gave a sigh as old memories as black and murderous as his other half flooded into his cold and lonely mind. The pain, torture, and sadness that those memories brought were breathe catching. But, they brought an even more intense emotion onto this broken man. Anger. The man took a deep breath to even his already staggering breathing. All those cold memories could only belong to one man, for they were too intense for any other man to hold. This man you ask? Why, you haven't realized it yet? It is the hated hero…

Jak.

He rose from his bed and put a hand on the bed to steady himself, the other clutching his chest in pain. This was not good; just those horrid memories were enough to bring out that monster? Jak could feel the dark eco surging through his veins as his darker half was screeching to be let out. As the broken hero's grip strengthened on the bed his breathing was starting to calm from simply willing for a small handful of the light eco coursing through his veins as well to stop the burning darkness from coming out. Jak's grip on the bed lessened as he felt the light eco hushing the dark eco into it's rightful corner of Jak's mind. But he did not take his hand away from the bed incase the darkness decided to show up again when he wasn't expecting it. He did take his hand off of his chest seeing as the pain was gone. Jak felt a sudden surge again and clutched the bed with both hands, but it quickly ended as the light eco trapped it. The green haired man hesitantly lifted his hands off of the bed, relieved to feel the dark eco in it's rightful place again and staying there. Jak felt something in his hands and found a large handful of ripped sheets in each hand. Great.

Jak tossed the sheet remains onto the floor as he got off his bed and looked around his room. It was a very simple place, though it would have looked better if the light blue wallpaper wasn't in shreds and the claw marks on the worn metal floors. The results of the ever so delightful Dark when ever he decided to make a surprise visit like he had that morning. The only furniture in the room, standing that is, was a small table with a chair beside it by the cracked window that was always covered. On top of the small table were papers and pictures of things Jak didn't want to focus on right then. In the far left corner was a small dresser with a cracked mirror above it. On top of the dresser were Jak's trademark goggles, a giant metal shoulder guard, and a pair of gloves with the cloth that covers the fingers missing. All the drawers were sticking out with Jak's few possessions in it and a small little orange Ottsel sleeping in the top drawer. As Jak walked up to the dresser drawer to wake up his sleeping friend he found a very disturbed sight. At least, it was to Jak. Daxter was making out with one of Jak's socks, as Jak thought that it would probably only be a matter of time until Daxter started to… Jak's eye twitched. _By the Precursors, Dax._

With that Jak unceremoniously lifted a foot and kicked the drawer that was holding his friend with quite a bit of his strength. Once Jak kicked the drawer the sleeping Ottsel woke with his eyes wide as he flew into the air, clutching the sock in panic.

As Daxter landed on the hard metal floors with a thud he shock his head and did the thing that Daxter loved to do.

"JAK! What the heck was that about? Haven't you ever heard of letting sleeping Ottsels lay?!" yelled the annoyed Daxter. When the Ottsel's friend answered with a disgusted glare at something in Daxter's right hand. When he turned his head to see what was in his hand, and what he saw did not leave a smile on his face. With a shocked looked on his face the little Precursor chucked the unholy sock into the corner of their small room.

"You could have said something Buzz Head," Jak ignored Daxter's favorite insult for his hair and walked into their even smaller kitchen.

Most people thought that Jak, the hero, would have gotten to live in luxury after all the times that he had saved this miserable city's behind. But that wasn't the case, even though the government gave him a small bit of respect because of Ashelin the citizens' treated him the same way they always had. With fear and blame for everything that had happened to them. So, the city had "asked" for Jak and Daxter to live in a deserted area in Haven. Though, no one but Daxter knew that was how Jak had wanted to live. He never had been one much for the spotlight even in the… past. So the two friends lived in Dead Town in their small house. Since Metalheads hadn't been a problem since he had moved there the city was more than happy to not have to be any closer to him needed, but also the fact that they didn't have to deal with the Metalheads either. Jak liked it because there was no one to bother him out here, and the fact that there was less a chance of his friends getting hurt when Dark showed up out here with no one as a target. But, they did have to go into Haven everyday for Jak's job and for food. That and Daxter had to run his bar, The Naughty Ottsel. So it was a win, win situation for everyone. Right?

As Jak walked over to the fridge he opened it to find it in its usual state. Having just enough food to live off of. Who knew you needed so little food to survive. The broken hero grabbed a glass of water and closed the fridge bitterly. He then turned to a small cabinet and took two pieces of stale bread out of its bag and walked past the small stove and table with chairs by it. He took a few more steps until he reached the bedroom again.

Jak found his friend examining the sheet remains in the corner from earlier as Jak walked up behind him. Before Jak could say that he had breakfast Daxter opened his mouth.

"Jak? What's up? Did you think I wouldn't notice the bed sheet in shreds? And seeing what happened last night…"

"What?" the bed sheet was in _shreds_? Those two pieces had just come off, right? As Jak turned his head to look at his bed his eyes went wide by what he saw. He did not remember that when waking up. The bed sheet _was_ in shreds, by the look of it claw like marks were what caused it," Dax? What happened last night?"

" You don't remember?"

"No," answered the green blonde. As he looked closer he saw large, heavy bags under his friend's confused eyes.

"I guess I should have figured you wouldn't."

"What happened here Dax?" Jak asked again, but this time his voice was stiff with worry and confusion.

"In the middle of the night I woke up to find that purple stuff coming off of you. Then… you started screaming. It really freaked me out. So I started yelling at you. But I stopped when you opened your eyes a bit after you stopped screaming, and you screamed for a long time. But your eyes were completely black…" the hero's eyes widened even further as he realized why the dark eco was so intense that morning. But, he still felt so much dark eco in him now. Shouldn't it all be gone from being his darker half last night? This didn't make any sense.

"What happened next Dax?"

"Well, you just kept staring at me with those creepy eyes. Then, you smiled and dark eco exploded off of your body. I closed my eyes when that happened, but when I opened 'em you were Mr. Sunshine and attacking your bed. It lasted a while until Darkie just stopped and got off of the bed and opened the curtains. He saw the snow and started screaming. Then he punched the wall. Surprised you didn't notice that," He was right Jak hadn't. He looked over by the window and saw a giant dent in the wall. Good thing it was made out of metal… How had he missed that? "Then Mr. Sunshine collapsed onto the floor and sat there for a while. Then he got up and went back to the bed. That's when you changed back."

Jak gave Daxter a horrified stare, and then his face went blank. But his eyes showed it all.

"Guess it's a good thing we live out here, eh?" said Daxter trying to lighten the mood. But Jak just stood there starring at the hole in the wall. Apparently as confused as Daxter by all of this," So you gonna give me my food or what, Buzz Head?"

"Here," said Jak as he tossed Daxter a piece of stale bread as he snapped out of his thoughts. But… in his eyes showed that broken man again.

"So what are we gonna do 'bout this snow? Ugh. Don't we deserve some food that is actually edible?" Daxter asked as he forced himself to eat the stale bread.

"I don't know. I hate the snow, but we have to go to get to work. You could wear that jacket Tess made you. Guess it is a good thing she learned how to sew. And I could wear that Bomber jacket that Kiera gave me…"

"I'm with you. Ugh. Snow sucks. And so does this food," replied Daxter as he swallowed another bite of the bread.

"Guess I better get dressed. Yuck. This bread really does suck," Said Jak as he looked at himself, wearing only boxers. He then swallowed the bread whole and gulped down the toxic tasting water.

Jak headed over to his dresser as Daxter ate the final piece of his own bread, and gave a disgusted face once he was done. Jak pulled out a pair of tan pants with dirt on them, a navy blue shirt with a long sleeve on the right arm and no sleeve on the left arm. He avoided the socks. He then grabbed his goggles, shoulder guard, and "gloves" off of the dresser. Jak tossed the clothes on his bed and tried not to think about what Daxter had told him. He then grabbed his old pair of boots and walked over to his bed. Once he reached there he felt a cold object on his chest and looked down to see the two seals of mar hanging from a metal chain around his neck. He stopped and put his hand on top of them for a moment. He dropped his hand once he felt Daxter's confused stare on his back and grabbed his shirt. He pulled it over his head and put his right arm through the sleeve, and then he lifted the seals on top of his shirt. He then grabbed his "gloves" and put them on, moving to his goggles, he left his shoulder guard on top of the bed, and then he put on his pants. He then sat on the bed and put his boots on, trying again to not think about what Daxter had told him about last night.

"You ready Daxter?" asked Jak as he grabbed the shoulder guard as he headed to the closet by the door of the bedroom. As he opened it he grabbed a large black jacket with fur on the top rim of the hood and the very small chocolate brown leather jacket that Tess had made for Daxter.

"Yeah, I guess so. Hand me the jacket," grumbled Daxter as he held a hand out to grab his jacket, "Thanks," He said a bit more clearly as he caught his jacket and put it on.

Jak then put his own jacket on. Once he had put it on Jak placed the arm guard on top of the jacket so that Daxter could sit on his shoulder. Once Jak had put his shoulder guard on Daxter scrambled up to his perch that he knew so well he could have gotten up there if he was blind. With that, Jak walked out of the room and into the kitchen, then into the small living room, and into the tiny hall that led to the locked closet by the front door. Jak went to the closet and put in the password to open it. With a _beep_ the door opened and Jak took out his morph gun and Jet board. He then strapped it to his back. Once he was done he pushed the door closed it gave _click_ and locked. Jak and Daxter then opened the door into the winter wonderland that they hated so.

"Okay, it is official. Snow sucks," grumbled Daxter once the cold hit him. But, Jak didn't feel cold at all. He was actually _warm_. What was up with him today? Then again, what wasn't up with him? Then it dawned on him. The light eco was keeping him warm. Since light eco healed it only made since that it would keep him protected from something that could cause him to get sick.

"Dax."

"Yeah?"

"I'm warm."

"What? How the heck is that possible?"

"I think it is because of the light eco. I think it is protecting me from the cold."

"I REALLY need to get some of that stuff," said Daxter as he gave a shiver from the snow and the cold on Jak's shoulder as they walked over to the zoomer Kiera had made Jak as a home coming present when he had moved in. It was a sleek bike zoomer that was painted a metal green, blue, and gray.

"If you're that cold you can use my jacket, if you want."

"Really? You're that hot underneath there?" It was true the jacket was making Jak even more uncomfortably warm.

"Yeah. Get on the zoomer for a second and I'll take it off so that you can use it."

"Okay," said Daxter happily as he jumped onto the zoomer. Jak took off his shoulder guard then took off his jacket. He handed it to Daxter who greedily took the gift and put it on himself. It was huge on the Ottsel, but Daxter was enjoying the leftover heat from the last user in it. Jak then put his shoulder guard back on, and got on the zoomer. Daxter sat behind Jak on the zoomer since Jak wouldn't be able to drive with Daxter sitting on his shoulder with the huge jacket on. Though Jak felt much better without the heavy jacket he was still hot under his shirt. But, he decided to keep that one on for now. He didn't need more people starring at him, and he didn't want people to see what was on his back…

With that Jak hit the pedal and drove out of Dead Town to the Naughty Ottsel to drop off Daxter and to head over to visit Kiera before work. Leaving his small house behind. What was his small house you ask? Why is it not obvious? It is something he did to remind himself of happier times. Samos' Hut is that little house we spoke of.

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Wow! that was long! please write a review! I don't care if you say something bad about, I can take it! But nice comments are good too. thanks to my muses: Dark Jak, Light Jak, and Jak Jak. Or just Jak in a simpler word.

Dark Jak: shut up and keep on writing!

Light Jak: don't listen to him! Keep writing yes, but do a god job on it!

me: I need a life if video game characters are my muses... And, you two shut up! Your bickering is making me lose my concentration on righting this story! So shut up!

jak: You now understand how I feel every moment of my being.

me: So thats why you are always so mad...


	2. Chapter 2 Scars

Okay, the next installment of my story "Such a Pure Thing." I hope you enjoy this chapter, and if you got a bit confused about something in the first chapter or now, don't worry! It shall be explained in due time!

Jak games belong to Naughty Dog Inc.

Summary time!

Some things are explained to you visitors, but there are more questions then answers now. Jak has been having it rough with his life in Haven right now, but he is having the most trouble with Kiera and their kiss (see Jak X). Both do not realize the cause of the others emotion toward on another. Daxter is a hero? Yes, but not in the way you think.

This is still not quite teen material yet I know, but its getting there! Trust me. Enjoy, and remember! Review! Review! Review!

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2. Scars

As Jak and Daxter flew on their zoomer to the gate that led them into the Slums Jak's communicator gave a small repeating _beep_. Knowing that if he took his hands of the steering of the zoomer the two friends would probably crash into one of the ruins, and his already blurred sight from all of the snow wasn't going to help. So, he did the most illogical and stupid thing any person could ever do.

"Dax, could you get the communicator? The beeping is giving me a headache," as if Jak had enough of those already.

"Sure, just make sure we don't run into anything," answered the little precursor as he crawled forward on the seat to reach into the pocket on Jak's pants.

"No promises."

"Haha, very funny. Hey! Watch where you're going will you!" yelled Daxter as Jak hit the gas as he made the routine jump over a large ditch, and almost missing the ledge as the small ledge they landed on crumbled away as they flew onward. Once they were over the ditch, and somewhat safe, Daxter continued his mission of getting the communicator.

"Come on Dax! You don't like a little thrill every now and again?" yelled Jak a little smugly as he put his head high up in air and gave an adrenaline full smile.

"No! No I do NOT!" Yelled Daxter as he picked up the communicator out of Jak's pocket and sat back down in his original spot and pressed the button to stop the beeping.

Thank god that one headache was over! Now Jak had to deal with the other twenty-seven…

"Hey Daxie! Hi Jak!" said another small Ottsel in the communicator, Tess. She looked so small and frail compared to when she was an elf. But, that hadn't stopped her from doing her… "Hobby," if you could call it that.

As co-owner of the Naughty Ottsel with Daxter she had some free time and whenever she got the chance she would do her "hobby" of making weapons. Jak had asked once her why she still did it when the war was over. She had just replied with a smile saying that she just loved doing it so much she couldn't give it up… and that she needed some way to protect herself now that she was so small. With that she would give a false smile and continue with whatever she was doing, acting like that she hadn't just had the conversation.

"Hey," replied Jak as he refocused through the snow on the road in front of him.

"Hey, you need some Daxter love, Tessie. 'Cause I got plenty. Promise," said Daxter playfully with a wink and a big smile. This was the kind of stuff that made Jak want to stop the zoomer and just puke, but his pride always kept him from doing it. Though, his pride seemed like a very small priority the more and more he had to listen to the dribble. It looked extremely small this morning.

Tess gave a small giggle at Daxter's greeting and continued with her message," I was just calling to tell you that I need you to come in a little later today, I'm closing the bar for a little while to make some calls because of the snow. So I'll have to give you a rain check on that promise… for now. Okay, come by at one this afternoon."

"Okay Tessie. See you in four hours. I'll be expecting to see that rain check of yours, so that I can rip it to shreads," Said Daxter, trying not being as flirtatious at that moment, seeing that Jak had a nauseas look on his face.

Tess gave another giggle, "Also, Kiera wanted me to tell Jak that she wants you to come over to the garage. Said she had something for you, Jak."

"Okay," replied Jak, momentarily taking his focus off of the road.

So, even after all this time she was still acting like the city, only wanting to see him when necessary. It had started a couple of days after they had kissed. He thought she had regretted kissing him, he knew that he regretted kissing her. But not at first, by letting her kiss him she had come in to much, and that gave Kiera an even greater chance of getting hurt if he ever lost control of… it. So he had been frustrated with himself with letting her get so close. He _had_ liked kissing Kiera though. And the young man was greatly confused by all of it, he wasn't sure how should react to the whole thing. But, to Kiera she felt like she had done something wrong. She knew how Jak felt about physical contact. She thought that Jak's slight change in behavior was because he was upset about the contact of the kiss, but it had seemed that he had enjoyed kissing her when it had happened. It felt like the man had packed all of his love for her over the years into that too short kiss. The whole thing confused her as much as it did Jak. But, another thought dominated in her mind. Maybe Jak was upset because he didn't like her anymore. So she had decided that Jak had wanted her to leave him alone when he had moved, though that wasn't the case at all.

But Jak didn't know any of this.

"Tell her that we'll be there soon," answered Jak as he quickly snapped out of his thoughts.

"Okay, but she also said that she just wants to talk with just you, Jak."

"What? I want to see this!" yelled Daxter, forgetting that Tess was still listening.

"Daxter," said the green blonde with a hint of pleading in his voice that only the stubborn Precursor could hear.

"Okay, okay. I'll wait in the hall on that lumpy couch then," grumbled the Ottsel in defeat.

"Okay! I will tell Kiera! Bye!" said Tess, who had clearly tried to ignore Daxter's comment, and the communicator went blank before Daxter could say his own goodbye.

"Ah, the chick digs me," said Daxter as he gave a smirk. He then put the communicator back and Jak's pocket. He sat back down and fixed the placement of Jak's jacket on himself. Jak rolled his eyes with a smile as he stopped the zoomer by the gate and got off of his zoomer. Daxter hopped off of the zoomer, leaving the jacket behind, as was the routine.

"Dang, it's even colder now!" mumbled Daxter as he walked through the snow to join Jak by the gate. Daxter crawled back up on Jak's shoulder as he walked a few steps to a small monitor by the door with a slightly bigger screen below it.

The small monitor instantly lit up as Jak stopped in front of it. The small contraption was a security measure that he had asked the city to put in. There was another monitor on the other side of the gate that one would use to get in. The way that it worked was that whenever Jak and Daxter need to leave or come in either one would place his hand on the lower monitor to have it scanned. Once scanned the upper monitor would say whether or not it was one of the two. If it was Jak the monitor would say," Jak: accepted. Ready for next scan." And they same thing would happen for Daxter. If it weren't Jak then it would reject it and some type of a trap would be set off. If Jak tried to do this in his Light or Dark form the machine would reject it. That was main reason as to why he had wanted the system, to keep Dark out of the city.

The next person would put their hand on the scanner and this process would continue. Daxter and all of Jak's friends were in the system so they could come and go as well. Ashelin and every body, except for Daxter, rejected the idea immediately. They all said that it was unnecessary, but Jak didn't believe that and put the device in anyways.

Jak and Daxter did this and the gate gave a click and the gears started to move. The gate opened as its thick metal doors opened. The two heroes returned to the zoomer and headed into the Slums. Once the two were out the door closed instantly, unlike when they had opened.

As Jak flew through the Slums to the garage he felt very annoyed that he had to obey zoomer traffic laws now, instead of just getting to speed through all the traffic and jacking a zoomer whenever the one he was riding was about ready to explode. It seemed like there were no benefits to being a hero, just more and more rules that he had to keep for not his sake, but his friends' sakes. If he didn't they would start to worry, and that would lead to unnecessary questions and problems for them all. So that meant that Jak had keep a good image while in Haven City. An image Jak didn't like having to keep up. He almost liked being an outlaw better than this. Heck, he _did_ like being an outlaw better then this.

Jak and Daxter finally reached garage after about twenty minutes of the grueling traffic. If they had drove the way that Jak liked to drive it would have taken him six minutes instead of twenty. He also had hated the drive over because every one kept on staring at him with not just their usual glares of hate and fear, but today it also had confusion mixed with those cold glares. Jak knew the reason that they were glaring at him with a confused look was because they couldn't figure out why Jak was only wearing a thin, torn shirt when they had covered themselves with so much clothing to stay mildly warm. This was one of the things that didn't help his image, and –honestly-- that was perfectly okay with him.

When they parked in front of Kiera's garage Jak decided he couldn't take the glares anymore. He got off of his zoomer in a hurry and rushed inside, almost running into the door before it could swish open he was moving so fast. Taking Daxter by surprise as he grabbed Jak's jacket and dragged it with him as he jumped off of the zoomer and ran after his friend, visibly worried by his friend's anxious movements. But when Daxter came into the hall, leading to the garage, in it he gave a confused look as he saw his friend taking his shirt off and throwing the arm guard on the lumpy sofa. At first this confused the Ottsel, but then he remembered about the light eco keeping Jak so warm. So it even affected him inside…

"You're that warm, Jak?"

"Oh, yeah. I would have done it sooner but I didn't want the people to see my… back," sighed Jak as he looked down. Daxter knew exactly what Jak was talking about. He needed no explanation. So he left his question at that. But, he forgot about Kiera in the garage and of what she would think of Jak's… appearance.

"Well… What are you doing standing around? Go in there and get what you need from Kiera. And don't take too long! It is really boring in here!" Daxter yelled for encouragement and gave Jak a hard kick in the shins to make him move, and with that he turned around and tossed Jak's jacket onto the sofa, then he jumped onto the old, lumpy sofa. Turning around to watch his friend go into the room, with one hand on the shoulder guard next to him and the jacket on his other side.

"Hey, Buzz Head. Don't forget about your shirt," said the Ottsel as he pointed a finger at the shirt lying on the ground just a few steps away from the sofa.

"Oh yeah, thanks," mumbled Jak as he bent over to pick up the shirt. He put the shirt over his shoulder so that it wouldn't get in the way.

Jak didn't feel the kick in the shins when Daxter had done it, but he moved towards the door because of his friend's encouragement and faith in him. He was glad he had someone to do that for him. Daxter was definitely a hero, but in a different way than Jak. Daxter was hero because he had given Jak his sanity back and had kept him from turning back into insane a insane murder for the rest of his life with the dark eco inside of him. Daxter had saved the world many more times then Jak had. There were to many times for out broken hero to count. Daxter had saved the world from Jak, but he had also saved Jak from this hard, cruel world.

_Thanks, Dax_.

With a final sigh Jak grabbed the handle of the old fashioned metal door and slowly opened it. Not knowing what to expect from the turquoise haired woman in the room, and not looking back for anymore support. Though, he should have looked back. Why, you say? You ask so many questions, visitors. For, if he had looked back he would have seen Daxter open his mouth to yell a warning to our broken hero. This hero had gained the chance to endanger the world, again. That hero had lost the chance to save the world, again.

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Woah, another long chapter. Though the first one was longer according to Word. Oh well, it is still kinda long. 'Kay! You, readers, go review! and thanks to muses... Dark Jak's method worked the best. Me shutting up and typing... weird that his advice actually worked without anyone getting killed in the story.

Dark Jak: Not yet anyways...

Jak: Remember, if I die then you die too!

Light Jak: Same for me!

Dark Jak: You people are no fun, you know that?

Jak: My fun is different from your fun!

Dark Jak: Is it really so different?

Light Jak: ... Man! He _is_ good!

Me: I know! Dark Jak has skills with words! You now... not so much. You just keep the story a little bit positive. And normal Jak is the main focus of the story, so I have to have him!

Dark Jak: All of you SHUT UP! And YOU keep on typing!

Me, Light Jak, and Jak(surprisingly): Go back to word and help Me type while Dark Jak watches tv


	3. Chapter 3 Danger

This one took me a bit longer to write then the other two chapters. I had to print it out and do some editing by hand on it. Though I do like how it turned out, but not as much as I love how the first chapter is! That one shall always be my favorite of them all!

Jak and characters belongs to Naughty Dog Inc.

**Nameless Daydreamer ** well, just like I promised! I got this baby up and going today! Hope you enjoy the Jakness!

Yeah! Its Summary Time:

Dark is rewaken, twice in the same day, and without any added Dark Eco to his system either. What is going on with Jak, and what will Kiera think about all of this? As you probably have guessed, her response is not a good one.

Okay, THIS chapter is Teen for some fun cursing from our all too lovable Jak! Enjoy, and remember, Review! Review!

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3. Danger

The turquoise haired woman was hunched over a large table behind a green curtain in a medium sized garage. There were four zoomers, on metal stilts, that were being worked on currently in the majority of the space, not including the area behind curtain. Surrounding the four zoomers were papers and tools messily thrown on the floor. Anything else in that opening area was metal crates filled to the brim with spare metals or blue prints for the mechanic's work. Everything else behind the green curtain was more or equally messy. Including the mechanic with her nervous fingers drumming against the table she was hunched over.

Kiera was usually a very neat, organized person, but today she had been so nervous and hadn't even bothered to clean up anything that morning. She wasn't sure if she had done the right thing. But, it was too late for second thoughts. _He_ was bound to be here in a matter of seconds, at least according to Tess _He_ was. Unfortunately, Tess was usually always right about stuff like this. Would _He_ be okay with seeing her again? _He _didn't like her anymore, right? So she had nothing to worry about. But, Kiera was a terrible liar. She didn't know if _He_ still liked her, but deep in her heart she knew that she liked _Him._ Kiera had tried so hard to move on, thinking what she did, but she still liked _Him_. And that feeling would not leave her, no matter how hard she tried. Kiera looked back down on the table to give a good look at the thing that had caused her to ask _Him_ to come over and cause her nervousness.

What was this thing? Why it was small, worn book, most likely a journal. Whose journal? Why, the poor mechanic hadn't even dared to look inside of the accursed thing. Before she could read the six-lettered word carved on the journal's cover for the hundredth time she heard it. The stressful click of a door being opened.

_He_ was here.

"Kiera? Are you in here?" _He_ asked from the opposite side the curtain. Oh, how good it felt to here that voice again. She hadn't realized how much she had missed that voice until now.

"Yeah, I'm here… Jak," said Kiera as she turned around to see the outline of Jak, her voice thick with the nervousness she had tried to hide. It hadn't worked that well, Jak had heard as clearly as light eco. This made him equally nervous hearing her that way.

"Is it okay if I put this here?" Jak asked as he lifted his shirt up and pointed a finger to the closest zoomer next to him. He assumed that Kiera could see his gestures through the green curtain. Jak hid his nervousness in his voice much better than Kiera had.

"Wait a second, I can't see were you are pointing," said the woman as she grabbed the book off of the desk and walked up to the curtain. She paused a moment once she got up to the curtain and lifted her left hand to pushed the curtain back enough for her to get through. She hoped Jak hadn't seen her pause.

He had.

Jak started to question in his mind as well if he had done the right thing coming here. Kiera was probably very upset about him staying so far away from her. But he was doing it for her safety! He always wanted to… when he saw her… turn into--

He stopped that thought immediately, not wanting to poison his mind further with his own twisted, sick thoughts. Instead he waited for her to come out, facing the curtain, but his eyes showed every single emotion running through his mind. Thank God it was nervousness when Kiera pulled back the curtain, keeping her head bowed, and took a single step out from behind the curtain with a small book in her hand.

Kiera lifted her head to look the man in the eyes, but she stopped short when she saw something else before she even got to Jak's collarbone. She started blushing an intense, deep scarlet red.

"Kiera? Is everything all right? You're blushing," asked Jak with a confused, yet worried, look on his face as he slightly cocked his head to the left. He almost lifted his hand in a worried gesture, but thought better of it and kept his hand still by his side.

"Uh-uh. Y-y-yes. I am fine," stuttered the young mechanic, her blush deepening even further. That is, if it was possible. Kiera was blushing so hard because of Jak's chest and arms. It was an embarrassing fact, but a fact nonetheless.

Sure, she had seen him shirtless when they had been kids back in Sandover, but… he hadn't been so buff then! Sure, Jak had been cute then, but he had been just a little boy cute. Jak had only been twelve then, so you couldn't blame him. But, after those two years of torture, that long time in the Wasteland, and the years before and after the Mizo racing incident she hadn't seen him topless. Ever. Yeah, the whole group had forced Jak to come with them to the beach a couple of times, but each time he had worn a shirt over his chest and his upper arms. So, this was a big day for Kiera. She just couldn't stop looking at his chest and arms though. Really, what girl wouldn't? He had a perfect six-pack and perfectly toned muscle running down and through his arms. Though, there were large scars running down his chest and arms as well from past battles, but… Oh, he was even hotter than she had thought!

"Okay. Well, is it okay for me to put this on the zoomer for a minute?" He asked, lifting up his shirt, while trying to figure out why Kiera was gawking at him and blushing so hard. It made him feel so… uncomfortable. So uncomfortable that he blushed a little as well.

"S-sure," stuttered Kiera as she got herself to look Jak in the eye to find him blushing to. This made her blush even harder as well.

Jak turned his back to Kiera to put his shirt down on the zoomer. But, before he could set it down he heard a gasp from Kiera. He then realized something. He wasn't wearing a shirt and he had just turned his back to Kiera. Well, this meant that her blushing episode was over and that a new one had just began.

_Shit. This is total shit! How could I forget all about this?!_ Jak thought angrily as he realized his thoughtless mistake at full force. He didn't bother turning around to face Kiera, and his entire body stiffened. He was too late for that. The damage had been done.

"Jak! When did this happen? Your back… its…" Kiera yelled until in evened out into a whisper.

"I know. It happened… a while ago," Jak answered in an angry whisper that was more like a hiss. Kiera didn't say anything even though Jak knew she wanted to. She was waiting for his fragile temper to keep from breaking. So that, that monster wouldn't come out. Smart girl.

His back was so disgusting; so much that Jak could say that it was disturbing. His whole back was covered in scars that made the ones on his chest and arms seem extremely minor. But, these were not ordinary scars. They were a mix of a dark violet, a light blue, and a tan skin color. But the most disturbing thing about them was that they were _pulsing_ like they were still _alive _under his skin. They looked unnatural and curved into odd shapes. But, they weren't shapes at all they were Precursor. They stated a message on his back:

_The Dark Angel Of All That Was, Is, and Will Be._

Seeing that Jak had gotten his anger under some kind of control, Kiera continued her questioning about Jak's back, "When?"

"They were just scars like on my arms and chest at first after all of the torture in those two years of jail, but they changed…" Jak answered, knowing that he couldn't lie to her now that she had seen his back and was looking at it right at that moment.

"When did they change, Jak? Was it when you were fused with the Light Eco?" Kiera asked again, but with a rushed urgency in her voice this time.

"No. It happened when we were poisoned last year."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know, I think that the poison messed with the eco inside of me. Like how I couldn't change into either… form."

"Okay, that makes sense. But how did it change? Did it always say… that on your back?"

"No."

"Did the scars always look like that, without the writing?"

"No."

"Well, then what does the poison have to so with the change in the shape of the scares?"

Why? Why! He couldn't tell her that because one night he woke up screaming because he was writhing in so much pain? That when he woke up he saw, and watched, the scars turn into an even more unnatural way than before. And, as if that wasn't enough, all of the eco that was inside of him that couldn't be let loose, Dark and Light Eco, had all surged towards that change trying to heal it, but failing terribly and getting trapped there. Never to be let out. Yeah, he had tried. He couldn't even count how many times he had tired! Though he honestly wasn't quite sure as to why it had happened, but he knew that the poison had something to do with it all. He was still searching for an answer to it all. He had looked everywhere and had found nothing. But, there was someone he hadn't asked yet. The Precursors. If they had something to do with this to then they could all burn in Hell! Fu—

"Jak?" Kiera asked again, worried by the fact that he hadn't answered her. That snapped him out of his thoughts about where the Precursors should go and what could happen to them there…

"Because it caused the Light and Dark Eco to get trapped in the scars. Causing this terrible pain."

"Oh, Jak," Kiera whispered as she walked forward, forgetting about the small journal in her hand.

Jak heard Kiera taking those fateful steps forward to him. He knew what she wanted to do. Stupid girl, had she learned nothing?

"Kiera…" Jak whispered as a warning, but she took it as an invitation instead.

She apparently hadn't learned anything. Stupid, stupid girl.

She reached up and touched the scars with a shaking hand. But, instead of Kiera being harmed from the Dark Eco in the scars something different happened. Jak was the one writhing in pain from the Dark Eco instead.

Jak's knees buckled and fell down into the ground with a gasping breath.

His entire body began to ripple with a burning, electric sting running through every nerve in his body. Jak knew this feeling well. This was not good, that monster was coming out. That slight touch to those scars had caused this? And, Kiera was standing right next to him. This was the exact reason as to why he had been staying away! He had to get out of here. Not just here, he had to get out of the city. The Eco was too strong for him; it was a miracle that he was still able to hold his form.

"Jak? Jak! Answer me!" Kiera yelled, reaching down to help him. That snapped him right out of it. If Kiera touched him now she would defiantly be hurt by the eco coming off of him, and he would definitely change then.

"No! Kiera… hide… Hide behind the curtain." Jak half–grunted, half-yelled in anguish.

"What?" Kiera whispered in shock as she pulled away and took a step back from the drastic change in Jak's voice. It had gone from that glorious voice she loved, to a mid-course growl like voice, Dark's voice.

"GET BEHIND THE GOD DAMNED CURTAIN KIERA! NOW!" Jak yelled in pain as he lifted himself off the floor, clutching his sides. Kiera gave a horrified glance, then turned away from Jak and dashed away behind the curtain. Jak knew that the curtain couldn't stop Dark if, or when, he lost control, but he didn't want Kiera see him like this.

When Kiera had gotten behind the curtain she was in a total panic. The man of her dreams was _shifting_ right there in her garage, and it was probably because of her that Jak was writhing in so much pain on the floor. She tossed the journal back onto the table, forgetting how fragile it was in the haste of the moment, and grabbed a very large, heavy wrench on the floor. Kiera lifted the wrench in the air like a baseball bat for self defense if Dark was to show up at any second. She was really hoping that she wouldn't give Jak a concussion with this thing. But that was a very unlikely thing. She stayed in this position, her arms going numb from holding the wrench in the air for so long, until she heard the _click_ of a door.

Jak grabbed the zoomer next him to steady himself as he lifted himself off of the floor, causing it to get a rather large dent in it. He used his other hand to grab his shirt and staggered to the door as fast as he could. Good thing it was a short distance to that door. Jak reached for the door and grabbed the handle, crushing it in the process, and opened the door quickly out of pain and fear. With a small _click_ it closed behind him.

"So how'd it g-- JAK! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?" Daxter yelled as he looked up in shock. He grabbed the jacket and shoulder guard by him and jumped off of the sofa.

"The scars, Dax. She touched them. We, I, have to get out of here, out of the city. I can't hold it," Jak gasped as his friend ran up to him and guided his injured friend to the door.

"Okay, so where are we going, buddy?" Daxter asked shakily with intense worry.

"Not this time, Dax. I have to go alone for this one. There is too much. I won't be able to stop myself from killing you if I can't find any life where I am heading," said Jak as he pulled his shirt over his body quickly to keep away anymore-unneeded attention from the public eye.

"WAIT! NO! I AM GOING WITH YOU!" the Ottsel yelled.

"Dax, no," Jak said angrily as he struggled out of the door and to his zoomer, "Your going to the Naughty Ottsel. Take this," Jak weakly reached into his pocket and gave Daxter his communicator," Just in case," The Ottsel didn't protest and took the communicator from his friend. He knew that there was no way his friend was letting him go now that he had made that decision.

"Fine, but you owe me."

"I always do," Jak whispered with a faint smile as he climbed onto the zoomer," Head to the Naughty Ottsel, Dax. You'll be safe there. Don't tell anyone. Kiera will do that," And with that, our broken hero took off on his zoomer. But, on ground level. Through the whole thing Jak was yelling one thing in his raspy, near-Dark voice.

"Get out of the way! Emergency!"

_Be careful out there, Buddy. You're gonna need it._ With that Daxter turned towards the Naughty Ottsel and started the long, grueling trudge to the bar in the wretched snow. He had thought about trailing after his friend anyway, but he thought better of it and started towards his bar. Tess was going to be mad that he was showing up early. Fun.

As Jak sped off towards his destination while yelling his warning he felt a twinge of happiness through the pain. It felt good being the outlaw again. Though, to Jak's disappointment, he only hit seven people. That was such a small amount, and they only walked away with a few small bruises. Either Dark was getting to him or he did just have a sick mind after all…

After only a few short minutes Jak was at the gate. It was the gate out into the Wastelands. Jak slid off of his zoomer and struggled to keep himself from changing has he limped to the gate. It felt like it took hours for it to open, when it only took a few movements. Once the gate was open Jak flipped out his Jetboard and flew out into the Wastelands. It took him a good 6 minutes for him to be far enough from the city to not be seen. That was about a good seventeen miles away. The whole while Jak had been struggling to stay in his conscious form and not change. Once there, Jak got off of the Jetboard and put it on his back. When that was done Jak completely let any will power he had remaining loose and let it melt away as his form changed into that monster. The burning electricity was a welcome as Jak allowed the rippling change run through out his body, as his muscles shifted into the monstrous change. He felt his claws sheath as they grew, his black, devil horns spurt out of his skull at a ridiculous speed, his hair and skin turn white like the snow surrounding him as it fell onto the Wastelands, and finally his eyes turn into a soulless black, violet. But it was all welcomed, and it was a relief for the change to be completed.

But, Jak's consciousness remained for a short moment as he saw a large cloud of snow come towards him. It was a thick, powerful army of Wasteland Metalheads, maybe a hundred or so. Probably coming on a attack on the city with the snow as cover. As Jak's consciousness ebbed away he gave an evil smirk that was not his own, but rather Dark's. As Jak lost complete consciousness a final thought came to him. It was no secret so it shall be shared with you, visitors.

_It. _

_Was._

_All._

_Too._

_Easy._

--

Woah! That was one intense chapter if I do say so myself. This is also the longest one so far! And it is all because of Jak that this one got done!

Me: That was a good idea! You unplugged the TV so that Dark couldn't watch his wrestling and have to help us! Good thing too, I needed him for the Kiera moments. Since you were too much of a wimp to tell me your thoughts on this.

Jak: Yes, most of my ideas are that way. he ignored that Kiera comment8

Me: I thought most of your ideas were about killing/getting revenge on someone?

Jak:...

Dark Jak: Ha! I _was_ right! We _do_ have the same kind of fun!

Jak: If you weren't me I would kill right now.

Dark Jak: You are proving my point.

Light Jak: Hey! What about me? I helped!

Me: Not really. you just had us keep Jak from going loose on haven, instead of on those Metal Heads. Poor things. They had a short life. But, besides that Jak is the one who gets a cookie today!

Jak: Haha! Suckas.

Dark Jak: Grrr. I want that cookie!

Light Jak: Hey! I want it!

Jak: No! Its mine! Wolfkhjak gave it too me!

Me: Oi. Here we go again.

**Review.**


	4. Chapter 4 Troubles

Here it is! Chapter four is here! I am sorry to say though, that updates will be coming out much slower because school is starting for me, and that doesn't leave me with much time to write the new chapters. But I will not stop the story! There will be updates, but not so many in such a short period of time...

Jak belongs to Naughty Dog Inc.

Trump belongs to wolfykhjak (me).

Yeah! It is that time we all know and love... Summary:

Torn and the rest of gang are finally brought into the picture, but with a twist. Jak has been gone for almost eleven hours now, but when he shows, it is not a pretty sight.

_This_ chapter is rated Teen, also because of Torn and Daxter. Warning, there is language in the opening line for anyone that would be surprised by it.

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**

--

4. Troubles

Who invented paperwork? Really, what son of a bitch did? Torn was about ready to kill the guy who had. Torn thought as he hunched over his large oval table in the new Freedom League Headquarters with a pen in his hand. Why did there always have to be paperwork, and why had he wanted to be the Head of the Freedom League? After all, it wasn't anything like how the underground had been. Then it had been so much more… interesting. He had at least gotten to see some action then. No wonder Ashelin had wanted to be Governor instead of this. This job just plain sucked. Oh great, now his hand was going numb from so much of the horrid stuff.

Torn put his pen down on the table and lifted his hand to his back. He took his dagger out of its sheath and started to bring the dagger towards to huge stack of paper work with a threatening glare. As Torn's blade inched closer to the stack a woman walked in. She looked to be about five feet and ten inches tall and to be about twenty-one years of age, but that was just a guess after all. She had short, dark purple hair that was pulled back in a bun with two wooden chopsticks in it that had the word _fire_ at the end of each one. Her eyes were a piercing dark, almost violet, grey. The woman had two tear drop shaped tattoos on her right check, and the tips of her long ears were black with their numerous piercing on each ear.

Torn never planned to ask her about them.

Her chest was relatively small, but any girl's chest would appear flat compared to, Torn's girlfriend, Ashelin's own. Them woman's legs were long and lean. Her body was very tan, though it used to be tanner. Not counting the numerous scars she had running down her body from past battles. She wore a turquoise – blue shirt with a hood that had sleeves that went down to her elbow. It showed her lower stomach. On her right arm she wore a warm grey arm warmer that had a protective board of light, silver metal on the outside of her arm. On her left arm was a large dark grey glove. She wore a short pair of kaki shorts with a large, brown belt hanging over them on her waist. The shorts were very rugged and dirty. On each of her two long legs was a leather sheath that held two rather large daggers, like the one he was using to threaten the stack of papers. She wore a pair of navy blue, laced boots that went up to her knee. On her left leg there were two bandages hanging on loosely. It was hard to believe that this woman had been Freedom League's current _secretary _for three years. Though, it was not so hard to believe that she had been working in the field during her Underground years. She had been working in the Underground back when she was fourteen until the day it was put down.

The woman gave a confused look when she saw her current, and former, Boss. Then again, this had even been a normal sight back when he had been the back-up Head for the Underground, but there hadn't been nearly this much paperwork back then.

"The paperwork threatening your sanity again, Sir?" the purple haired woman asked with a mocking tone in her voice and raised an eyebrow. It was quite obvious that she'd meant to show it, too.

"What is it, Trump," the annoyed man stated as he put his dagger back into its sheath on his back.

"Seven people have come in today registering complaints about a green, blonde haired man ran them over on a bike zoomer yelling,' Emergency! Emergency! Get out of the way!' Though they only got a few bruises they wanted something to be done about the said man. Though, Jak seems to making sure that the people don't get too soft. I owe him for that," Trump stated as she stared down at her Boss until he looked down. She never got tired of that, no matter all the years she had known the serious man.

"Jak…" Torn grumbled angrily as he lowered his gaze to the floor from Trump staring at him so intensely. Why did she have to love doing that? It always pissed him off. Then again, they were as close as brother and sister. The only thing separating them from being actual siblings, by the way they acted, was their blood.

Torn thought that Ashelin was the toughest of all of the girls that had been in the War. He was beginning to think to other woman would ever be as tough as her…

"Yeah, the guy that knocked me off of my number one spot in the Underground to number two. Never got him back for that," Trump said with a small hint of annoyed in her voice. But, the guy wasn't too decent so she couldn't hate him too much for it. She hated decent. She could still be annoyed by it though. That wasn't the same as hating the guy. It was close, but it wasn't the same thing.

"Still holding a grudge, huh?" Torn said smugly, well as smug like Torn could be. When he saw her give a small half smile he decided it was time to get serious again, "Is that all?"

"No, Sir, I have a favor to ask of you," Trump had decided to get serious again too it sounded like. She must have something on her mind.

"What is it?"

"I want to go back on the field."

"What? _You_ were the one who said you wanted to be the secretary here. Why the sudden change in heart?" The suddenly stone-faced man inquired.

"I'm not allowed to change my mind, Sir? I have behind that stupid desk for three years. I am damn sick of it. I miss getting to use my daggers, and I want a rematch, Sir," The purple haired woman said as she spun away from the door, with a glint in her eye from talk of doing battle again.

"Wait. With whom?"

"Jak."

"What? Why!?" Torn asked, surprised that Trump wanted to do this again. She had lost her place from the _daily_ head count for number one in the Underground because of Jak. It had been Jak's Metal Head of six thousand, and five hundred and seventy-three. Trump had gotten, six thousand, five hundred and seventy-_one_. That had included Jak using his Dark Jak and Light Jak powers. Trump had used only her two daggers. It had bugged Trump for the longest time, and it seemed that it still annoyed her. This would end badly, and Torn knew that she knew it too. Torn just didn't know _who _it would end badly for. Trump felt the same way. It would be a stupid thing to do. She would probably get killed.

She wanted to do it anyway.

Figures.

"Fine. You can go back on the field. We could use someone who is actually in the same range as Jak. We can't keep on calling him in on every little thing."

"That never stopped you from doing it before, Sir. And good. I look forward to it. Tomorrow I will come in for my first mission, and Sir, don't go easy on me. I'm no rookie, you haven't seen me in action for three years," with that said Trump turned away and headed out the door. How wonderful it felt to be back on the fighting side! Trump hadn't realized something until during those three horrid years behind that desk. She hated peace. It was so…

Boring.

After Torn had given his final answer he saw something in Trump's cold, grey eyes. It was the eyes of that savage fourteen year old with no family and nowhere to go he had met all those years ago. She was herself, she was her nickname again. And Trump hadn't even gotten on the field yet.

She was Trump again. The Trumpet of Death.

Now, Torn felt nothing for Trump beside brotherly love, and Trump only felt sisterly love for Torn. He loved Ashelin, and that would never change. He had known Trump since she had been a savage fourteen year old like he had been. They really were like brother and sister. And that was how it would stay. Torn loved Ashelin, and he knew that Trump had her own boy too. Though he could never remember his name.

Oh well.

Torn grabbed his communicator off of his side belt. He planned to give Jak quite a earful, but when he dialed in Jak's communicator's number he didn't get Jak. He got the talking rat instead.

Great.

"Rat, what are you doing with Jak's communicator? Give it to him. Now," Torn stated angrily. He really hated the talking rodent. He hadn't even known that he could hate anything so much until that rat had showed up. And that was saying something for Torn.

"As a matter of a fact, Tattooed Wonder, he isn't here," the Ottsel said smugly while using Torn's hated name.

"Well, where is he?" the annoyed man said through gritted teeth.

"Um… He is doing… Jak things," Daxter said suspiciously.

"What the Hell does that mean?"

"Think about it, idiot. It is real obvious."

"Just tell me rat."

"I can't," Daxter said as he looked down.

"Why not?" the very annoyed man said through heavily gritted teeth now.

"Jak said I couldn't. And I plan to keep my word."

"Tell me Rat! Now!"

"_Think_. What is a Jak _thing_?"

"I don't have time for this."

"Well, too damn bad!"

"Fine. Do you at least know where he is?"

"NO! Damn it, Torn! It is a Jak _thing_ for crying out loud! Why does Jak ever have an _episode_? _Think_!"

He really hated this talking rat. Daxter wasn't with him. And Daxter didn't know where Jak was at the moment. That meant something was up. Those two were always together, Torn didn't know why, and he didn't want to know why either. Jak had been yelling to civilians that there was an emergency and to get out of the way. But there hadn't been an emergency in that sector. Jak hadn't shown up at the Headquarters yet for work. The only thing that Torn could think of was…

"Oh."

"Took you long enough, Pretty Boy."

Jak had been yelling that there was an emergency through the streets on a zoomer on ground level. He had been yelling that because _he_ was the emergency. It seemed that Jak had narrowed things down into two possible outcomes. One, some random people get a bruise or two and he gets out of the city without killing anyone in the process. Or, two, him _turning _while in Haven's walls. And killing off half of city's population of twenty-one thousand people.

"How long ago was that?"

"That's the thing that's really worrying me. He has been gone for _five_ hours! _Five_! Do you know how off that is? He has _never_ been like that for so long! And he has _turned_ plenty of times. Trust me, I've there, almost, every time."

This wasn't good. Jak had never been in that _form_ so long. And _Daxter_ was worried about Jak in that _form._ Daxter had said it himself; he had seen the _transformation_ thousands of times. If it was worrying it him now, after all he had seen, then something was definitely _very_ wrong.

"Where are you right now, Rat?"

"At the Naughty Ottsel."

"Did Jak drop you off there before he left the City?"

"No, I walked here around eleven this morning," that made sense; it was about five o'clock now.

"Where did you leave from?"

"Kiera's garage."

"Why were you and Jak there?" Yes, he was finally getting somewhere with the rodent.

"I can't tell you. Kiera has too," so much for getting somewhere.

"Why?" Torn asked, starting to lose his patience.

"Jak said it was the thing to do. Like I said. I'm _not_ going back on my word."

"Okay, is anyone there at the bar?"

"Uh, customer wise, no. Business has been extremely slow today from the snow. Barely anyone's leaving their homes."

"No, anyone we know?"

"Yeah, actually, Tess, Ashelin, Samos, and even Sig are here. You and Kiera are the only ones missing … I'll ask him, woman! Ashelin wants you to come down," Daxter said with annoyance thick in his voice from Torn's girlfriend.

_Nice one, Ashelin_, Torn thought as a smug smile crept up the Freedom League Head's face.

"Wait. Sig is there? Why isn't he in Spargus?" Torn asked with mild confusion as the smile quickly disappeared. Why wasn't the Wastelander back in Spargus, ruling the city? Torn watched the communicator as he saw the Ottsel turn his head in a western direction.

"… He says he'll explain it to everyone as soon as you and Kiera come down to the Bar. So, come down! I'm a tired of waiting, and I want to know why the Hell he is here!" Daxter yelled into the communicator with an extremely obnoxious look on his face.

"Fine, I'm coming down now," Torn, said. He shut off the communicator immediately, tired of seeing and hearing the obnoxious rodent. Torn returned his communicator to his side belt, he turned towards the door and headed up the ramp to the automatic door at the top. When Torn's body was in the door's censor range it opened with a swish. As he walked out he heard a small chuckle from behind the desk on his left side.

It was Trump, sitting behind the desk, which had given the small chuckle. He turned his head to see the soon to be former-secretary looking at a tall pile of papers. Onto of the pile was a small, orange note on top with something written on it. From where Torn was standing he could read the note. It stated the following:

_To: Torn, I know you love this stuff! It is a present! Love, Trump!_

Oh no. By the Precursors! Would it ever end? More God damned paper work. So, that's why Trump had given a small giggle when he had passed. Her present for leaving the desk to Torn was more damned paperwork! He knew that she had seen him read the note, so she gave another small chuckle as Torn reached the door and walked out into the snow.

Snow. Sucks.

Torn stomped through the thick layer of snow until he got to a small parking lot. He went up to a bike zoomer painted a dark blue and white with the Freedom League's symbol on both sides of the small craft. He brushed off the thin layer of snow off of it. When Torn didn't hear the usual noises that surrounded the Headquarters he took a moment and looked around. The rat had been right. Barely anyone was out today with the snow. Torn only saw only a couple of people walking around instead of the usual thousands. People always seemed to walk around here, where did all those people go anyway? Or did they just walk around the city aimlessly, waiting for someone to come and attack them? No, that was stupid. Well, the fewer the people, the less the traffic.

Torn shook his head and got on his zoomer and shifted into the second flight zone. He didn't even have to focus on the road in front of him there were so little zoomers surrounding him. So this left Torn able to let his mind wonder until he got to the bar and see everyone, well not counting Jak. This thought snapped him out of his wondering thoughts and back into reality. Remembering that he wasn't heading down to the Naughty Ottsel for a few drinks with old friends, but rather in worry for Jak's disappearance. After only a few minutes after snapping back into reality did Torn arrive at the bar.

He pulled his zoomer into a stop position by the bar door and lowered his vehicle into the ground level and jumped off once there. Torn noticed three other zoomers surrounding his own, but Torn recognized them all as his friends' zoomers. Torn walked up to the door of the bar as it opened with a _swish. _

When Torn walked into the Naughty Ottsel he was welcomed by fake smiles and worried eyes from all of his close friends. Even Sig showed his worry on their friend's lack of reappearance through his good eye. Torn saw Daxter sitting on the bar's long table with a purple cup in his hands, but it was obvious that the animal was in a different world as he stared into the amber liquid in his cup. Once Tess had given her share of fake smiles she gave her lover a nervous, worried glance. Ashelin was sitting on a bar stool with a similar cup by her right hand. Samos and Sig were sitting on either side of her sitting on similar stools, with a cup in hand as well.

The rat was the first to speak.

"Hey, Tattooed Wonder. That was mighty quick, we just finished calling Kiera. She is supposed to be down here in a few," Daxter stated, without lifting his head to give the man a cocky in the eyes. No, he just kept a steady watch on his drink.

"Yeah, well there is no traffic cause of the snow… So Sig, what are you doin' up in Haven?" Torn asked as he walked up to the bar table and Tess slid a drink down the table towards him as he sat on a stool next to Sig. He caught the cup with ease. The heavily armored Wastelander turned towards the much smaller man to give his answer.

"I thought Chillipepper told ya? I'm not telling anyone until Kiera shows up. I don't like repeatin' myself," Sig answered with a stern sound in his voice. He seemed to have told everyone this answer a few times by how annoyed he was to say it again.

"Okay then. So why are we all down here?" Torn asked as he lifted his cup up to his lips to take a sip. Ashelin was the one who gave him his answer.

"We all know that this place is a key spot in Jak's mind. He is likely to show up here when he decides to grace us with his presence. Also, when he changes back he will figure that we would all go down to one place, and Daxter's Bar is the most likely one," The red head said sourly.

"Yes, young Jak's disappearance is very worrisome. If the Council finds out about this there could be much trouble for Jak. I am anxious to hear my daughter's explanation for Jak's troubles," The old Sage said after Ashelin with a worried look on his face.

"_What_? Jak is missing!? Why didn't you people tell me this earlier? Why didn't you tell me this when _you_ called me? I could have been here in _no_ time flat!" a stranger yelled in a high voice by the door. Everyone turned to the door, even Daxter looked up from his drink to see whom it was.

It was Kiera.

"Ah, Kiera, nice of you to join us. Care to explain our situation to us? Daxter says that Jak told him to let you explain what is happening to him. Well? Star explaining," Torn said hotly. He wanted answers. He wanted the now, he was sick of this guessing game.

"Wait. What? Tell me what you know and I'll do my best," Kiera said as she looked down at the floor as she walked up to the bar and sat down. Yeah, she definitely knew something. Everyone could hear it in her voice.

"Daxter, tell her what you told us," Ashelin ordered the Ottsel as he lowered his head back down and his eyes glazed over.

"Okay," Daxter stated as he continued to stare into his cup.

"What happened?" the mechanic asked as she looked up at Daxter.

"Well, I don't know what happened while you and Jak were in the garage, you'll have to tell us all that part. I'll start from when he came out of the garage door. Jak came out of the door gripping the side of the wall to keep himself stable, I guess. Dark Eco was crackling off of his body. I took his pant leg and helped guide him to the door while carrying that stuff," Daxter paused to point his thumb to the end of the table where a bomber jacket, a small leather jacket, and Jak's shoulder guard lay.

"Wait, why weren't you hurt by the Dark Eco coming off of his body?" Kiera asked the Ottsel, eyes wide.

"I don't really know. I guess I just have thick skin with the stuff from so much over exposure. But, I don't really know. Anyways, I helped Jak back to his zoomer and he told me to not to tell anything else, but to let Kiera explain everything else and to go to the Naughty Ottsel. Before I could sneak onto the zoomer he put it into accelerate on ground level and left. The whole while yelling to people to get out of the way, that it was an emergency. And the rest you all know," the Ottsel stated as he ended his small story. He didn't tell them about what had happened last night and that he knew why Jak had suddenly had needed to _transform_. That was Kiera's job, not his.

He knew that Jak didn't want Daxter to say anything at all, but he felt he had to say something to everyone. And it was better for him to tell them of one of the kinder things.

"Well, that's Daxter's story. Can you fill in the potholes, Kiera?" her father asked her in a kind voice. Kiera began her own story with a stronger voice, but her voice faltered when she got to the moment after she had interrogated Jak about his back.

"You see, uh, his back was covered in scars. But the weren't normal scars! They were a purple, blue color and they were _pulsing_ like they were alive. And the weirdest part about them was that they weren't just shapes, the scars, they were words. The said, '_The Dark Angel of All That Was, Is, and Will Be,'_ and then I did something really stupid. I went up to his back and _touched_ them.

"But, the thing is, that nothing happened to me. Everything happened to Jak. He collapsed onto the floor and began to writhe in pain on the floor from me just touching the scars. I tried to help him up but he just yelled at me to hide and to get behind the curtain. His voice was Dark's I think. I ran behind there, and when I came out again, a few moments later, he was gone… A-a-and that's all I know," The woman stuttered as her story cam to its conclusion. Everyone just sat there blinking for a while, even Daxter. No one said anything for the rest of the night. They were all trying to make sense of what Kiera had told them. But everything made sense to Daxter. Though he remained silent as well, a rare moment for Daxter.

Hours passed while they all sat there in silence, none could find the right words; or rather they didn't want to. Clock began to move at a breakneck speed. It had gone from five o'clock in the afternoon to eleven at night.

Jak had been gone for almost _eleven hours_, now_._ In his Dark _form_ no less.

The suffocating, silence was finally broken by a loud thud and a rasping breath by the door of the bar. Everyone's eyes' widened in horror, and each gave a loud gasp from the sight that they saw.

It was Jak.

He was leaning against the wall covered in deep scarlet blood from the face down. There was still stray Dark Eco bolts coming off of him. They thought it wasn't his blood covering his body, rather his victims'. But it was, there were glints of Dark eco shimmering in it.

He gave a weak smile and muttered a small greeting, "Hey guys," With that the broken hero collapsed onto the floor, breathing hard, and closed his eyes slowly.

You may ask why it had took Jak so long to destroy only a few Metalheads? That task had taken him only an hour or two for him to complete. The rest of those nine hours though, he was fighting with, and against, himself.

Mentally and physically.

Everyone ran from their chairs, causing the chairs to fall over. Daxter beating them all by far, with a break neck speed. But, one person didn't run to the injured hero's aid.

Who? Why it was the very person that was responsible for this poor man's pain.

Kiera.

--

Woah, that was definitely the longest chapter yet, it beat chapter three by two full pages on Word. What do you think of me working in my small OC character Trump in there? I created her before this story even existed in my brain, but she is only a Havenite in this story. Otherwise she isn't even in the same universe as Jak. Though, to keep this a true Jak story, she won't show up in the story too much, just maybe another chapter or two at some point in this story. Oh, and Light Jak helped on this one!

Me: That was a good idea, not having me do a chapter on the whole battle scene.

Light Jak: Well, that just isn't pleasant. Even for teen.

Me: Also, I just suck at writing gore scenes, and it would have left a lot of plot and character potholes in the story.

Dark Jak: Ahhh... I wanted gore! Well, at least I got my way at the end.

Jak: Wait a minute! What do you mean by _physically_ in this?

Me: Uhhh... you'll just have to wait and see, Jak.

Dark Jak: I better get the cookie this time.

Me: No. Light Jak gets it today. He is the one that helped.

Light Jak: Haha, I got it, Spas!

Dark Jak: No I want it! Grrr--

Gol: NO I WANT IT!

Me: Gol?! What the heck are you doing here?

Gol: I am attracted to sugar, thats why! Its almost better than Dark Eco!

Me: Dude, did your eye just twitch?

Gol: What of it?!

Me: Well, that explains why you are so hyper... Light Jak?

Light Jak: Yeah?

Me: I suggest you run. Gol wants that cookie, and who knows what he will do for it... Run MAN! His eye just twitched again! RUN! HE IS GOING TO EET JOO!

**Review.**


	5. Chapter 5 Confusion

**Edit:**

I reposted this because I noticed a few errors in the story when I reread it online, and it bugged the heck out of me. So fixed the mistakes, so maybe this chapter will be a little clearer now. Maybe...

Well, here is Chapter 5. Sorry it is so short, but for this one thing it wouldn't fit being as long as the last chapter. I hope you enjoy this little thing, I got my self to write a sort of gore scene cause I felt you all were deprived. Also, I need to ask you all of a small favor... I need to know your options on **Trump (see Chapter 4. Troubles)**, I **need** to know if you like her or not. If you liked her she will show up in another chapter or two, but if you don't then she might just show up one more time as a very minor character. each version of the story is different for how often she shows. So tell me if she was awesome, okay, or if she sucked! **Just tell me please and you shall get a nice long chapter for the next one! :)**

Jak belongs to Naughty Dog Inc.

Summary time :)

Pain. So much pain. So hot and sticky. Yet electric and awesome with power. But horrified stares and faces come with it...

Rated Teen for **blood **and some** language at the end **from** my muse**. So anyone who gets faint for the stuff, remember, I warned you!

**REVIEW.**

--

5. Confusion

Pain, so much pain. It ran through his veins at a speed like an infectious disease. Its core was his own, or rather his backside. As the pain ran its intense course through his broken body he felt his back _pulsing_ like it was its own, separate living being.

There was an even more intense sensation crawling on top of his skin though. It was the sensation of warm, sticky blood running against his cold skin as it dropped from his face and hands. But it felt different this time, not the usual, glorious, powerful feeling.

It was _better_.

He heard a sizzling noise, as his barley conscious body lay nearly broken on the frigid ground. It sounded like something cold melting as it hit a hot surface. He didn't know that it was the snow landing on the hot, bloodied corpses surrounding his dark figure was the cause of the retched noise.

He desperately tried to open his tired eyes to find something that was familiar, anything to make him feel safe. He was only able to open his tired eyes open half way.

He was not granted his desperate plea, for he found only blurs of an intense scarlet red and specks of white moving across his faint vision.

His thought and grasp on reality was so small that it didn't occur to him what that scarlet was.

Or how it had gotten that way.

His body shifted in pain as he forced himself to stand up, running purely on survival instinct. He felt he needed to get away from this foul place that reeked of death of destruction, but he didn't smell that horrid stench.

He couldn't, for he was the very cause of it.

Or was he?

As he lifted himself up again he yelled out in agony for his body, grasping his sides in pain, his legs buckled and he fell to the ground once more, breathing hard. As his body hit the ground he heard a loud crunch come with it. His body instinctively leaped off the ground, ignoring the searing pain as he slid into a rigid defensive crouch with a sneer running across his face, and a growl rising in his throat as it escaped from his lips. He felt a almost more intense burn run through his body when this happened. But this one felt cool, almost an electrical, powerful burn as it mixed with the original pain. But it passed almost immediately when no threat was seen in the hazy, red and white distance.

The cool burning had almost renewed his body, giving him new strength. He felt little pain as he took a confused, cautious step forward into the dream like world surrounding him. He heard the crunch again as he took that step and painfully slid into his defensive position again, but saw nothing again as he realized that he was the very cause of the noise. His footsteps were causing the strange crunch.

But how was that possible?

His mind dismissed the thought quickly as he trudged through the deep red surrounding him. With every step he took he felt small punches of the infectious pain returning.

It felt like he had been limping through the deep scarlet around him for hours, or even days when he reached a large brown blur. He couldn't tell what it was, but it opened as he got close to it. The sudden movement made him jump back in surprise with a small, confused growl escaping from his dry lips.

He took the necessary steps past the brown blur warily, and when he passed it he heard a large clunk, causing him to spin around with teeth bared and his bloodied hands rose offensively. But he lowered his hands slowly when no threat was, yet again, detected and turned around, greatly confused by it all.

He continued his confused walking, leaving the large blur and scarlet red in the distance.

He could barely see where he was heading, everything was so unclear, but he continued his long trek to what ever destination he was being drawn to. He just knew had to keep on walking.

He had to continue his confused, primal walking. No matter how intense the pain grew.

His head was beating like a thousand drums all out of rhythm. He felt something touch his blood-covered skin as he leaned against a smooth surface when he stopped his instinctive walking. It had a cold, metallic feeling.

He saw terrified, confused faces from wherever he leaned. He felt he needed to say something.

Anything to make their horrified stares boring into his crooked body stop.

He mumbled something. He didn't even know what he had said.

He didn't care.

His eyes closed as he felt the cold, metallic sensation greet his body once more as he hit the ground a final time, but with a thud this last time. Causing his once nearly broken body to silently break. He didn't feel the pain though. He just felt…

Numb.

He heard rushed footsteps coming from the hazy faces he had seen. He heard something else. It was a voice, a familiar voice. It was annoying and shrill, but familiar. It was yelling something at him. As the darkness started to take him he heard the words clearly for the first time.

He felt small hands grasp his blood covered, broken arms.

The hands were shaking.

"Jak! Jak? Come on buddy… Wake up, Jak! You can't give up on me now! You just can't," the voice yelled, it sounded extremely worried for this Jak person.

Jak…

That was him, right?

The darkness overtook him.

--

Yeah, I know wasn't that long. Don't forget, tell me what you thought of Trump! please? Dark Jak is the one to love for this chapter!

Me: Thanks Dark Jak. I don't think I could have done that alone...

Dark Jak: Hehe. I got my way here. Yes. :

Jak: What the Hell did you do to me?! I am in deep Yakow Shit!

Light Jak: HEY! Language! Watch the language!

Jak: what? Its rated teen for precursors' sake!

Me: ...

Light Jak: STILL!

Me: ... Anyways! Dark Jak gets the cookie today!

Dark Jak: Yes! Haha! I got the cookie you asses!

Me: I suggest you eat quickly, before Gol shows up...

Dark Jak: Ahh! He can go to H--

Gol (poofs in): SUGAR! GIVE IT!

Me: Too late...

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 6 Awaken

Okay, first off. I AM EXTREMELY SORRY! Okay, now it is explaining time. The reason that this is so late is because I have no time to write the chapters except on weekends with my busy schedule. And when I am to actually type up something I can't correct it until like 2 am on a saturday night... Yeah. So that is why this is so late. Also the fact that it is much bigger than the last chapter... So again, sorry about that! So here is Chapter 6. Awaken!

Summary, oh you know you love it:

So many questions. So few answers. After we receive our answers, even more question arise with it. Now, be patient visitors. There is much more to come...

Jak and characters belong to Naughty Dog Inc.

**NamlessDayDreamer:** I hope this helps a little, but also follows the summary. Enjoy!

Rated Teen for **blood** and **mild language** from Tess and Daxter and muses.

**REVIEW**, please. I want to know how you liked. Doesn't matter if you loved or hated it. Just **review** please!

--

6. Awaken

Jak lay there unconscious in a cold sweat under layer after layer of thick blankets on a rock, hard bed. A small figure sat beside him, watching with eyes widened with worry and stress. The small figure was no other than Daxter wrapped in a small, dark green blanket. His eyes kept a watchful vigil besides his closest friend as Jak suffered in pain. The young man lay next to him gasping for breathe in that cold sweat with tears streaming down his face in pure agony. Most would have thought that the tears were just the sweat, but Daxter knew Jak was crying very real, resentful, and pained tears as he saw the nightmares run across Jak's face at a incomprehensible speed.

This made a tear run down Daxter's own furry face.

Why was it that Daxter the only one who understood all that was happening to Jak? He knew that Torn, Ashelin, and Sig could only understand this cold, angry Jak that sat beside him, for they had never known the other man that Jak had once been. But Kiera and Samos knew of a different Jak. A Jak that had been a boy those five short years ago. It was… frightening how drastic the change was. The once carefree, kind, _mute_ boy they had all known and loved was now revengeful, broken, and _cursing_ more and more every passing day of his life. In short, he had it off much worse than Daxter did. But, why could no one else figure out why Jak was in so much pain? Or as to why it was taking so much time for him to heal, even with the Light Eco coursing through his still broken body? Or rather, was Daxter the only one that was not afraid to think, and accept, the reasons for Jak's pain?

No, that was only half of it. He was the only friend that Jak hadn't almost lost through all of his anger and non-repents. Daxter trusted Jak with all of his life.

And that would never change.

_Never_.

The small Ottsel was extremely worried for his bed-reddened friend, for Jak had been unconscious for _seven_ straight days now. Something like this hadn't happened since way back in Sandover, but even back then Jak was usually never in bed for this long either.

Daxter felt as if – no, knew - he was the only who was staying by our broken hero's side. It bothered the Precursor to no end that Jak wasn't healed yet and not trying to blast everything in sight out of existence. Shouldn't the Light Eco have healed Jak by now? Daxter knew that Jak had been through worse then this, though Jak's injuries were starting to convince him otherwise as the restless and long days had begun to pass.

When Jak had shown up that dreadful, snowy night Daxter had been the first to reach his friend's side when he had collapsed on to the floor of the Naughty Ottsel bloodied and broken. When they had taken Jak up to the loft overtop of the bar every person was sickened by the wretched sight and smell of Jak, even Sig. Daxter thought he saw Kiera run out of the room with her hand over her mouth and tears running down her face's now pale cheeks. Daxter didn't know if it was out of sadness, disgust of the blood, or out of guilt. Yes, Daxter knew what had happened to make Kiera guilty. Even though she had failed to mention it that dreadful night. He still knew.

When Samos had reached Jak's side in the loft to look at the fatal injuries everyone saw the Green Eco Sage's glance drop down to the purple sheen mixed in with their friend's victims' scarlet red blood, or rather their friend's. That was when it hit them all. They were wrong; it hadn't been Jak's victims' blood at all. It had been Jak's.

Daxter was the only _not_ one surprised by it.

But, Daxter was wrong.

Daxter was extremely wrong about no one else understanding Jak's terrible condition. Samos was with Jak through and through, too, but in a different way. Not in a brotherly way like Daxter, but almost in a fatherly way to Jak.

The whole group had silently decided that they couldn't take Jak to a hospital, no matter his condition. They all knew that the City would find out about it if they did so, and that it would hurt Jak more than it would have helped him. Ashelin had silently agreed with a nod to not mention Jak's condition, or how it got that way, to the city. So the elderly Sage and Ottsel put aside their differences, though not without some good intentioned bickering from the two. They worked together to bandage Jak's wounds as quickly and carefully as possible. Daxter started remembered the gory memories of that night. He saw the memories going running through his head like he was watching a movie, but much more intense. The terrible movie showed all the blood that Jak had lost. It was amazing he was still alive with all of that precious blood gone from his body. His friend was damn lucky was what it came down too. Daxter sadly continued to watch his movie with the deep, threatening hole like gashes covering Jak's blood and Eco paled skin as he helped cleaned them with the help of the supplied Green Eco, bandages, and Samos.

They both knew the cause of Jak's injuries.

The final thing that had frightened Daxter out of his wits was Jak's bones. Almost all of them were broken or cracked deeply, barely escaping the very real threat of breaking like wet tissue paper. His friend was _incredibly_ damn lucky that it wasn't even the slightest bit funny. Jak's spinal cord and neck were both only cracked slightly, and that meant Jak would live. Thank the Precursors that he was going to live. It was almost as if Jak had known how _not_ to kill himself. It seemed more like he had wanted to punish himself.

Was his friend _that_ suicidal?

Or… was he just so mad at himself that the only thing he could think to do to stop the blood lust was to nearly kill himself? Just to see and feel that accelerating thrill his mind and body got from the fresh blood running down his face and hands? Even if it was his own?

But, Daxter knew something. No, he knew it all. Daxter knew what no one else would accept, – not even start to think – not even Samos. He knew that Dark and Jak were one in the same. Not two beings holding onto one body, constantly fighting for control over the other. Sure, Jak fought to keep control, but that was over the Eco running through his veins and over his emotions. They were the same being, only in that… _state_ Jak's anger, blood lust, and ability to channel Eco was so intense and uncontrollable that he didn't _seem_ to be the same man because he looked so different and killed others. Daxter didn't understand why people couldn't get it through their thick skulls that Jak killed people any way. His form didn't change that powerful fact. The only thing that was different between those acts was that he had some mercy then and was using a gun normally. Hell, he did the same thing when he was Light Jak, though that thought seemed less frightening as well. But, as frightening as any of it was to think, Jak was.

There was no Light Jak or Dark Jak or normal Jak. There was just… Jak.

Daxter's thoughts continued to wonder as he remembered their time in Haven City. While he watched these memories his thoughts went to a total stand still as something finally occurred to the Ottsel. He started to fast-forward through his memories until he reached when Jak and Daxter joined the Underground. He watched the memories run across the large movie screen of all the times Torn had given them those suicidal missions. Daxter saw himself hating it almost each time, but he saw a different reaction from Jak. Jak was always… smiling. Jak was always _smiling _whenever they got a suicidal mission. Jak had always _liked_ the missions….

Daxter's eyes widened even further in. A single word came to his mind.

_Shit._

Daxter's thoughts were immediately interrupted after he had made this frightening revelation. The cause of this interruption was Tess. She was worried very deeply for Daxter since he hadn't left Jak's side since he had arrived last week, except for when he need to use the facilities. She had decided that a warm drink might help her beloved. She knew that liquor wouldn't be a good choice and she also knew that Daxter hated coffee. So she choose the only other thing she could think of to warm him up, and she knew that Daxter wasn't going to leave Jak until he was out of bed. So here she was, a large tray in her tiny hands with a large mug of steaming, sweet hot chocolate. When Tess got to the door she had balanced the large tray on her tiny shoulders and opened the now Ottsel usable doors. She nearly dropped the tray by the sight of her weary lover, but Tess kept up her peppy, go lucky face on regardless. This wasn't just for Daxter's sane of mind, but also her own.

Tess saw a bandaged Jak lying under a mound of blankets in a cold sweat with Daxter sitting next to him also rapped in a smaller blanket. She saw the worried and scared expression run across the face as he came to that small, obvious revelation of Jak. When Daxter turned to look at Tess he cracked a large, toothy smile to Tess that only Daxter could do. Daxter was warmed by not only the change of pace of his company, but also by just Tess standing there. It gave Daxter a small flicker of hope to see something so familiar and something he loved so much. Sure, he knew Jak extremely well, but the Jak lying unconscious besides him was still a bit foreign to him as well.

"Hey, Tess," Daxter said with that toothy grin of his. Tess saw something though when he spoke with that thirsty voice. She saw a great sadness in those large eyes of his. It made her heart ache, but all the same she didn't skip a beat. She couldn't. She was here to make sure that Daxter was all right and give him something hot to drink, not to make it worse for him. He didn't need any more of that worrying crap.

"Hey, Daxie. I've got something for you to drink. Thought you needed something to warm you up in here since it is so cold from all the snow… Hot chocolate all right?" Tess answered with a small smile on her face, don't want to push it. She walked over to the bed with her tray and set the large piece of metal down beside the bed and took the huge mug up with her small hands.

"Sounds perfect! Thanks, Tessie pooh! Yum," Daxter said almost excitedly with greedy hands as he leaned over to grab the mug, though he almost fell over in the effort of grabbing the large mug of the precious liquid. Gave a small, accidental giggle when she saw Daxter's clumsy notions to get the precious mug.

"Careful! Its hot," Tess said with a word of caution, but Daxter took no head and welcomed the warmth with a large sip of the sweet liquid. Enjoying it every second, even though it slightly burned his tongue in the process.

"AHHH! That's the stuff! Thanks, Tessie!" Daxter said with a real appreciation while inspecting the inside of his mug to find any remains of the precious drink. Even though Daxter looked preoccupied Tess could tell what he was doing. She saw the only things that she and Jak would ever receive that the others would never gain. His acceptance. His inspiration. His spirit. His hope. That was the key one. It was true that Daxter seemed to usually be a hopeful, profane, and a comical spirit, but Tess and Jak knew that Daxter had very little of that precious hope left inside. Tess knew of the hard times her lover had been through in his journeys here in Haven City. She was also the only person that knew of Daxter's fear. Well, Tess doubted this; she assumed that Jak knew as well.

She was wrong.

What was Daxter's fear, you ask? Why, it was not everyone's classic fear of that person. Daxter wasn't concerned for his own life. No, he was more worried about that person. Who was this person?

It was Jak.

You do not understand? Very well then, I will explain it to you all. You see, most know of how Daxter was able to bring Jak back to a small grasp on reality after Jak escaped from the Baron's prison. We all know that if Daxter hadn't shown up that Jak would probably not be. After two years of helping Jak through all of his horrible times Daxter almost lost his friend again. Jak _was_ lost when he had to watch his father die in his very arms, and to be unable to tell Damas that he was his lost son. Jak was then truly the lost son after that. Jak had tried to hide his sorrow, but it had not worked that well. The small Ottsel had seen it immediately after their discover of who the Precursors really were. Daxter watched his friend lose more and more control over the Dark Eco inside. Jak didn't frankly care after that. So he lost control over the Eco frequently, especially recently. Daxter had helped him with his jokes and kindness, but it had not – was not - enough to heal his friend's large, mental scars completely.

After that Daxter was scared everyday by the fact that he might wake up one morning and find his friend would not be him anymore. Jak had gotten frightfully close that day last week. Daxter begged that it wouldn't happen again. He didn't think that Jak, or him, could take any more of this. Daxter didn't fear for his own safety, he feared for his friend's well being. That was one of the reasons that Tess loved Daxter so much. For those he truly cared about he would do anything for. Even though he tried to hide it, Daxter was a caring soul. That was the side that he showed to Tess when no one was watching.

As Tess' thoughts went to the day that Daxter told her this he looked up from his mug, disappointed to find no more of the hot chocolate remaining. He saw Tess standing there with a tray in her hands with a half smile across her face and looking at him. He didn't understand why she was looking at him like that. Feeling a little uncomfortable with her bizarre staring he opened his mouth to say something, but he didn't get his chance.

Tess' eyes widened, her mouth gaped open, and she dropped her tray with a loud _clatter_ on the metal floor. It looked like she was starting to shake all over. That was a first…!

"TESS! What's wrong?!" Daxter yelled at her in extreme worry and shock.

"Daxter. Look," Tess whispered as she raised her hand and pointed it towards the body behind Daxter. Her hand was shaking terribly now.

Daxter dropped the mug and it broke onto the floor into thousands of glassy, dangerous grains of clay as he spun around to look at his friend. He was as surprised as was Tess by what he saw.

No, he was _more_ surprised than Tess was.

Daxter saw Jak's eyes opening, but they were a pitch black violet and Dark Eco was bouncing off his entire body. He saw tears running down his friend's now paling face and he saw silent screams escaping from Jak's throat as they became loud, pained and growl like screams of agony. Daxter's eyes widened as he realized what was happening at that moment.

It was happening. Again.

Just like that night a week ago…

"TESS! RUN! YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE ROOM! _NOW_!" Daxter yelled in a panic as he spun around again to face his girlfriend. He had come to a disturbing conclusion as to what was going to happen next. This was bad, _very_ bad. Bad didn't even cover how terrible this was!

"What? WAIT! I am _not_ leaving you!" Tess yelled over the screams coming out of Jak's pained lungs. There was no way she was going to leave Daxter alone in here. She loved him too much to do abandon him now.

"Tess! Getting out of here! NOW! GO! Got get Samos! Now! Please, Tess. HURRY!" Daxter pleaded. He knew that Jak needed some serious amounts of Green Eco right now, and he didn't want Tess in here. Daxter knew that Jak wouldn't hurt him, but he didn't have any idea as to what Tess being in the room as well might cause Jak to do. And Daxter didn't plan to find out.

Tess, not knowing exactly what to do, wanted to stay with Daxter, but her survival instincts and common sense were both telling her the same thing. _Get out of here; you will help Daxter and Jak more by getting Samos more than getting yourself killed! GO!_

The female Ottsel followed her instincts and ran out of the room to go find the elderly Green Eco Sage. She could tell that she had to be quick about this. Why couldn't Ottsels' have longer legs?

When Daxter saw Tess leave the room and close the door with a quick _thud_ he gave a small sigh and turned back to his injured friend. Daxter didn't frankly know what he should do now. He figured all he could do was make sure Jak didn't kill himself this time. Daxter saw his friend in the same condition as he had seen him only a few, long seconds ago, but now that tears streaming down his face had a twinge of purple in them as well and white streaks were running through his hair now like a mad fire. This was not good. Not in the slightest way.

"Jak? Come on buddy. Don't go on me now! STAY AWAY FROM THE DAMNED LIGHT, JAK! Please…!" Daxter yelled at the _changing_ Jak as tears started to form in his own eyes. To Daxter's surprise Jak didn't just continue screaming after he said his few words of encouragement like usually would have. Instead Daxter got a completely different reaction from the Dark Eco _changed_ Jak. Daxter had no idea as to what he should do, this had never happened before.

Never.

Jak _stopped_ yelling. He stopped and _turned_ his head towards the Precursor and looked Daxter straight in the eyes with those soulless, violet black eyes and opened his mouth. When Jak opened his mouth a thin trickle of deep red blood ran down the corner of his mouth until it reached his white goateed chin. But it got even stranger.

"Daxter? Is that you?" A pained, weak and gravely voice asked. Jak was talking. He was talking. _Talking_. I_n_ his Dark form no less. Was this even possible? This had never happened before. Ever.

_Holy shit. _

What the heck was happening?

--

I wasn't incredibly pleased with this chapter all and all, but I am just glad that I got it up! And this chapter was because of Light Jak! Round of applause everyone for the Light Jak!

Light Jak: Thank you! Thank you all!

Me: Cookie for you!

Dark Jak and Jak: Go to Hell.

Me: Hey, he is going there anyway because of you two.

Light Jak: I got the cookie! HAHAHA!

Dark Jak: Why you--

Jak: DIE! I want that cookie! (lunges at Light Jak)

Light Jak: Wait. What!? AAHAHAA!

Dark Jak:...? Well that is a definitely a change in pace. What did you do?

Me: Nothing... (hides pen) And Dark Jak. If you would do the honors.

Dark Jak: What?

Me: Dear Lord... We went over this! Now go and do it!

Dark Jak: ... but it is stupid.

Me: Just do it or I will MAKE Gol come the next time you get a cookie!

Dark Jak: Fine. **Review**. It will make her write faster. And if you do... Oh, do I have to say it?

Me: YES.

Dark Jak: Ugh. Then you get a chapter earlier and it will be nice and long and me in... in- in- in-

Me: OH SCREW IT! Just **review** people! Please?

**REVIEW.**


	7. Chapter 7 Worry

Hey everyone, I am glad to say that I FINALLY got this chapter up! It is a long one, so I hope you enjoy because this is when it gets good! So please Read and Review.

Summary:

So much power. It makes you want to just blame it on everything. Jak gets sick of it and reverts back to his old self. He isn't Mr. Nice Guy anymore.

Jak and characters belong to Naughty Dog Inc.

The Waste Lander Clothes design belongs to Bob Rafei, concept artist of Jak games. You can see it at at his website.

This story is rated Teen because of mild cursing and mild blood.

Enjoy, and **REVIEW**.

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Chapter 7. Worry

Tess ran like a crazy woman down the stairs, away from that horrid scene above. Jak needed Samos, but Tess was worried about Daxter! After all, he was sitting next to Dark Jak for Precursors' sake! As she ran, wishing she had longer legs, she kept seeing a picture run through her mind. It was Jak, or was it Dark Jak? She didn't know the difference anymore. Tess had heard Dark Jak _talk_ when she had closed the door. Even she knew that was very wrong for Jak in that… _form_. The picture of blood trickling down his chin made her cringe as she ran down the stairs. It had not accrued to Tess that she could run on all fours, but old habits die-hard.

Tess reached the end of the stairs and ran into the open bar. It was empty again because Daxter had had Tess close it because of Jak's condition. No wonder, what would happen if people had heard Jak's screams? Tess was thankful that Samos had decided to stay at the bar until Jak recovered. Tess ran up to the table in the corner of the bar. She saw the tired Green Eco Sage sitting at the table rubbing his eyes and a mug of steaming coffee in his free hand. She hadn't expected to see Kiera sitting with him.

Samos and Kiera turned to Tess when they heard her footsteps. When they saw her expression their faces turned into concerned frowns. As Tess scampered up to the table she saw the Sage's eyes suddenly turned bright with fear. So he understood. Kiera seemed to not have a clue by the looks of it. Before Tess spoke she wondered why they hadn't heard Jak's screams. Tess shook her head and let the question hide in the back of her mind.

"Tess? What's wrong!?" Samos yelled. Kiera had gotten a worried look on her face. It was obvious, though, that she still didn't understand the situation.

"Jak! He - he transformed into Dark Jak right in front of my eyes! Daxter is sitting with him right now! He told me go and get you! How could you _not_ hear his screams?" The female Ottsel yelled in panic.

"Daxter will be fine, but we must get to Jak! _Now_!" The Sage yelled with urgency as he flew out of his chair, knocking it over.

"Daddy? What, what is happening?!" Kiera said in confusion as she stood up and knocked over her chair too. What did Kiera not get? Jak was in serious trouble right now, and Daxter was up there with him! What _didn't_ she get?

WHAT?!

"I have to get to Jak, Kiera! He is in a serious condition right now! I want you to stay here! Its not safe up there for you," The Sage called to his daughter as he floated up the stairs with Tess following him on all fours.

Kiera stood there in the barren bar with a confused look on her face. Then it hit her as to what was happening. Her legs gave way and she fell to the floor with a gasp and tears began to form in her wide eyes. The tears fell as she hunched over until she was lying on the metal floor. A thought came to her as she looked up again to see if her father and Tess were gone. They were. She let her thoughts complete. You may know what it was. I warn you, visitors, this woman thought a very low and disgusting thought. It makes one wonder how a hero could love this coward. Or did he love her at all?

_Oh my God. Jak is going to die…_

_What am I going to do?_

More tears streamed down her terrified face and low sobs escaped from her throat as she bowed her head again. But no one heard these terrible sounds of sadness and coward ness from her. They were all too concerned with another's health and sanity to hear these annoyingly, dreadful sounds escaped from this pitiful woman. This woman, who had already given up faith, when there was still so much left to be offered.

_That_ woman.

Tess and Samos were both up the stairs by the time Kiera had started to cry and sob down below in the bar. They did not hear it. They only heard a strange voice come from the room they were entering.

~ Such A Pure Thing ~

_Holy Shit._

_What the heck was happening?_

Daxter thought while Tess flew out of the room, and that noise had escaped from his friend's throat. It was just like when Daxter had found out that Jak could speak. Only, this time it was much worse. You think you know everything about this guy, and then he goes and does this!

For the first time, Daxter was totally speechless.

"Daxter? What is happening?" The weak and gravely voice asked again. It sounded so unnatural. Daxter just sat there, but his voice started to work again.

Unfortunately.

"I -- Jak? Is -- is that really you?" Daxter asked in a cautious voice just incase he might set off Jak's fragile temper. Daxter didn't know if it was Jak under control, or if he was like a glass vase ready to break. He _didn't_ plan to find out.

It felt so strange talking to this devilish mask that sat on Jak's face. However, the transformation wasn't complete. Jak didn't have the usual long, dark claws. Instead, they were violet stubs on his hands. His hair wasn't completely white either. There was still some of Jak's neon, green hair in the over powering white. The most interesting thing was that Jak's eyes were not completely violet. They still had a hint of that sapphire blue in them. The only complete part was that Jak had the long, violet horns in his head. Was Jak's body under so much stress that he couldn't finish the transformation? No, that wasn't possible.

Or was it?

"Yeah," Jak said as his brow came down and his mouth became a thick line, "Daxter, _what_ _is_ _wrong_? And where am I?!"

You had to be kidding. Jak didn't remember any of this? Not even showing up covered in blood with broken bones at the Naughty Ottsel a week ago? Daxter continued his semi-calm tone anyway," Jak, you are in the attic of the Naughty Ottsel, and you are…. Uh… you are in…. Um…."

"What is it, Daxter? Spit it out already!" Jak said, but this one wasn't a question. It was an order. As Jak had said his fierce command Daxter saw the fangs. They looked like they had… grown?

"Uh… you are Dark—" As Daxter finally found the right words to say he was cut off by Samos and Tess rushing through the door. But Jak didn't need to hear the rest of the sentence. Daxter could tell that he knew what Daxter was going to say by how his eyes widened when he looked down at his hands. They were pale and had small, violet stubs on his long fingers. Jak then looked up and on his face was it all.

_Damn it._

Daxter was worried when Samos and Tess came into the room. Who knew what would happen? None of them apparently…

Idiots.

Why? Well, Jak had just jumped into a crouched defensive, snarl. When his body had jumped up Daxter heard Jak's entire body _pop_ in unison. Like when some one pops their fingers, but _much_ louder. But why was Jak in this position anyway? Samos and Tess were no threat.

No, they weren't the threat and Jak knew it. _He_ was the threat, and he didn't want them getting any closer. And if that meant scaring them away, then he would do it.

Dark Eco snapped off of Jak.

Had he _meant_ to do that?

"Jak, calm down. I need you to get control over yourself. You need medical attention," The old Sage said calmly. His words had fruitless results. But, Jak didn't respond with a growl or bellowing roar as expected. Instead, he started to talk again.

"I can't. You have to get out. Now. If you don't…. just get the hell out of here! Before I lose control! GO!" The Semi-Dark Jak yelled with that pained voice. It sent crawls up everyone's spin, including Jak's.

"Tess! Get out! I'll be fine! Just get out!" Daxter yelled fearfully.

"But Daxter! You'll get hurt too!" Tess yelled with a deep concern as she took two idiotic steps closer, nearly stepping on the remains of the broken mug.

"No I won't! Just—GO!" The Ottsel yelled, starting to lose his patience, "You too Samos! Get out now!"

"Daxter…" Jak growled, "You have to go too. I don't want you to die too."

"No way! I am staying put! You aren't going through this alone!" Daxter yelled with a old promise. The promise Daxter had made when they were children. He'd never break, no matter the circumstances. And he didn't plan on starting now.

Samos saw this in Daxter's fervent eyes and knew that he wouldn't be able to change the Precursors mind. If Daxter was one thing at all, that was stubborn. So Samos made a conflicting decision.

"Fine, but don't blame me when your as dead as a doornail," Samos said under his breath, "Tess lets go. Now," Samos knew that this was a very wrong thing to do. He knew that Daxter could die in a matter of seconds, but this old Sage knew one more thing. He knew of the loyalty between the two friends. If Daxter hadn't left Jak after all of this, then there was no way that he would leave Jak now.

Damn Ottsel.

"But, Daxter! We can't!" Tess yelled in panic to Samos with a look of rage.

"Come," Samos said with clouded eyes as he took Tess with him out the door. The door closed with a loud _clunk_.

Daxter turned away and faced Jak again. His friend was shaking uncontrollably now. Jak collapsed back onto the bed. Another stray bolt of Dark Eco came off Jak. It barley missed Daxter's tail. That thin trickle of blood on Jak's goatee was now a thick scarlet line against his white skin. Jak looked up at the Ottsel with violet, tired eyes. Daxter saw that Jak was trying to say something, but Jak was so weak from the movement that he could barley breath. A faint gasp escaped from his lungs. It sounded so unnatural that Daxter cringed. He forgot about the dark eco snapping off of Jak's body and grabbed his friend's hand. It felt so cold with an electrical charge surging through it. Jak looked up with those weary eyes again and tried to speak again, but couldn't. Daxter tried to speak as well, but only pained sobs escaped their throats.

Dark Eco continued to bounce off and through Jak while Daxter held the corpse like hand.

Neither noticed.

~ Such A Pure Thing ~

So warm, so… alive.

Jak could feel the blood pulsing through the Ottsels veins while it held his hand. It was so tempting to break the creature's wrist and end its life. Just to smell the glorious blood. Jak fought back his animalistic instincts and tried to get a grasp on reality. He didn't know how much longer he could keep this up.

If Daxter was touching him in this form, then how was he still alive? Shouldn't Daxter be writhing in pain from over exposure to the Dark Eco? Jak let out a loud groan. Daxter grew more concerned because he thought that Jak was in more agony. That wasn't very far from the truth. Jak was sick of all these questions with no answers! Why couldn't his life ever be a _little_ easy? Oh yeah, that couldn't happen because he was the "hero," Jak.

_Being a hero sucks!_

Jak yelled in his mind as he gave another groan. He couldn't take anymore of this pain! It made him want to commit suicide on a daily basis! Doing Torn's missions and nearly getting killed each time took off the edge. It was just all too much! The issues with Kiera, his Dark and Light Eco powers, trying not to kill off everyone in the city, and the issues with his back were driving him to the brink of insanity. All he really wanted was some answers! Why did everyone have to be so vague all of the time? Couldn't they try to make sense at least once in their lives?! Jak closed his eyes in agony of the unknown.

He just wanted to explode! He wanted to get all of this energy out. Have it be ripped out of him and never have it come back! What he really wanted to do was kill _something_, and there was _something_ conviently sitting next to him…

Before Jak could shake away the disturbing thought he felt a sudden surge of dark Eco run through his body. It was so painful that it made his body shake terribly. Just as the power reached the height of its power it…

Disappeared?

It felt like the Eco had come off of him in the shape of a dome, leaving only a slight residue behind. It felt familiar. It felt like that dark night…

Daxter!

Was he okay, being so close to him with that explosion? Jak couldn't feel Daxter's pulse anymore. Jak's eyes snapped open. His body sprang up, scanning the room. Jak let out a sigh when he saw his friend lying next to him in small ball. Just as Jak reached down to pet his friend he felt a sudden surge hit his body, and then flicker off. Just like that night a week ago.

Why couldn't anyone give him any answers?

Jak waited a moment before trying to wake his friend. He wanted to see if he would have another episode. Jak was relieved to find that his body was okay and patted his friend.

"Dax, wake up buddy. Dax?" Jak said worriedly.

Oh no.

"Dax? DAX! WAKE UP!" Jak yelled. No he couldn't have! No!

"Wuh--? Huh? … I'M UP! I'M UP!" The Ottsel yelled as he bounced up and stood woozily.

"Thank God… Don't ever do that again, Dax. You nearly killed me there."

"Me? Kill you? I kinda doubt that, Jak. Ah! Its nice to see that you are… uh… you again!" The Ottsel said with cheer.

"Wait, what? Daxter how are you even alive right now?"

"Uh, beats me."

"Ugh, this has been one bad day," Jak said as he flopped back on the bed, only feeling stiff this time.

"You can say that again," Daxter said as he took a step closer to his friend.

"That's it. I am getting some answers. I am sick of everyone leaving us in the blue with our own lives!" Jak said, his voice thick with annoyance.

"Huh, last time you wanted some answers I ended up falling into a pool of Dark Eco and becoming a Precursor," Daxter said. He smiled when he said how he had turned into a Precursor. He never got tried of it, and it was dreadfully annoying. Than again, so was Daxter in general, "So what are we going to do now, Mr. Sunshine?"

"Nothing, at least for now," Jak said as he put his hands behind his head. His muscles felt so stiff from not moving for so long. This was going to make moving around so much more enjoyable.

"Huh? You've been in a bed for a week now, and you want to _stay_ in bed? Don't you want to go blast something?!" Daxter said to his friend. Usually Jak would have been out of that bed in a second looking for his morph gun.

"Daxter, I want answers, but I'm not stupid. My wounds aren't healed yet, right? 'Cause they sure don't feel like it."

"But --- You are Jak!" Daxter yelled while waving his hands in the air. This wasn't normal Jak behavior at all!

"Yeah, and I am freaking sick of being me."

"Jak? Come on buddy. You're starting to scare me," Daxter said as he brought his hands back down.

"Heh, figures it isn't when I am in that form," Jak whispered to himself. It really did figure. Daxter was scared more by Jak's "normal" form than his other two. Everyone else was just scared by his Dark form.

It looked like Daxter _was_ the only smart one after all. Dark Jak could just kill you and Light Jak could heal you, but Jak could make your heartbreak and terrify you because he was the conductor for that power and he wasn't the best one when it came down to the method of "good control." You'd think people _would_ be more scared of him than the other two. People tend to fear what they do not understand. They didn't understand any of Jak. They were terrified by him and wanted him gone. Jak would love to make their wish true, but his home in Dead Town would have to do for now.

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean!?" Daxter yelled as he jumped up into the air. Daxter probably wasn't going to stop nagging him until he started acting blood thirsty and vicious again. Jak knew that Daxter just wanted him to act like his "normal self."

Yeah, right. What was normal anyway?

Jak sure didn't know.

If he was going to make Daxter happy then he was going to have move again. This was going to loads of fun…

"Ow," Jak said as he heaved his body up so that he was now sitting on the bed instead of lying down in a heap, "Okay, Dax. What do you want me to do now? How'd this happen anyway?"

"You don't remember?"

"No."

"Well, you showed up all bloody and we put you up here. I did all of the work though. Old Samos only helped a little with all your bandages. It was all me!" The Precursor said proudly and exaggerating the whole story.

"Well, that explains why I'm not healed…. Ow! Hey, hey! I was just kidding!" Jak said when Daxter came up and poked him in the ribs.

"You better be! So, get out of bed and get some clothes on! Have you seen what you are wearing?" Daxter said smugly. Truthfully, Jak hadn't bothered to see what he was wearing. It hadn't seemed very important. Jak looked down to see he was covered in used bandages and wearing… his old prison uniform.

Oh God, not this thing.

Was Daxter mental?!

"Daxter, do you know what I am wearing right now?" Jak said grimly as he continued to stare at the horrid color.

"Not really. We had to get rid of your other clothes since there was so much blood on it. I had to go and get some clothes for you back at the house. It was really tattered and stuff so I figured you wouldn't mind blood getting on it. It was in the back of the dresser though," Daxter said with a shrug, oblivious to what he had done.

"Daxter… _Please_ tell me you have another pair of clothes," Jak said with bared teeth. Daxter couldn't see it because Jak was hiding his face by looking at his uniform.

"Yeah, over there. Why?" Daxter asked as he pointed to a chair in the corner of the room with a pile of clothes and his goggles on top.

"Good… Dax, you really don't know?" Jak said as he lifted his head to look at his clothes, and then turning to look at Daxter. His muscles still felt painfully stiff.

"No…?"

"Dax, this is my old prison uniform," Jak said with a sigh while he looked into his friend's eyes, waiting for Daxter to understand. Daxter's eyes widened when he realized what he'd done.

"Okay then! Well, get out of this bed and put on your other threads!" the Ottsel encouraged. Anyway to get his friend moving again was a plus.

Jak gave another sigh as he lifted his legs and placed his feet on to the floor. Only to be greeted by sharp prickles pain in his feet. It was the broken shards of the mug Daxter had dropped.

Great.

"OW, damn it! OW!" Jak yelled as he lifted his bloody feet back up onto the bed. When Jak took his right foot in his hand he saw the glass sticking out from his foot with blood streaming out, but the glass just fell out of his foot like sparkling water drops. The holes from them closed up instantly, leaving only a residue of blood left. It was the same with his other foot.

"Dude… How did you do that?" Daxter said in awe of Jak's new "ability."

"I don't know… Daxter, take off my bandages!"

"Wh--? OH!" The Ottsel said as he rushed to his friend's side and started to remove the bandages. They were amazed to find that Jak's wounds were completely healed, only leaving small scars blending in with the others on his body. His wounds had been in terrible condition when Jak had been unconscious. They had looked like it would take him months to recover at the rate he had been going.

Then again, this was Jak they were dealing with.

"I don't feel stiff anymore. It's like I never had those wounds," Jak said with amazement as he scanned his body and tested his strength by stretching.

"Sweet," Daxter said with a grin, and Jak returned it with a thin, devilish smile. Looked like Jak was back to normal, but just to make sure, "Well then, change your clothes! They are starting to smell…"

"Daxter, I still felt the pain when I stepped on the glass. I'm not completely invincible," Jak told Daxter as he rubbed his foot. It still stung slightly like his foot was asleep, "Do you still have my shoes?"

"Uh… Yeah, I think so," Daxter said as he scanned the room, "Oh, they are over there, by the door!" and there they were. The pair of boots sat next to the large door like a doorstopper. They were so heavy that they could be. When Jak made no motion of crossing the sea of glass to get his boots that Daxter gave a large sigh, "You want me to go get them don't you? Fine."

"Thanks," Jak replied as he started to rub his arms now. Everything felt like it had fallen asleep now.

"Why do I have to always do the crappy stuff?" Daxter mumbled to himself as he went to the top of the bedpost and jumped off. He landed close to the glass, but not close enough to get hurt. Daxter walked over to the door and grabbed the boots. The whole time grumbling to himself, and the whole time Jak ignored Daxter's mumbling, "Here you go your, majesty."

"Thanks, Daxter," Jak grabbed his boots and put them on. His body didn't feel very numb anymore so he just jumped off the bed. Jak momentarily lost his balance, but got it back in a second. As Jak walked across the glass it crunched under his feet loudly. He hoped that the others wouldn't hear. They didn't need to see this. They shouldn't have to see anything.

Jak stopped in front of the chair and grabbed his goggles. It felt good to put them on. Next he took off his prison shirt and chucked it on the hazardous floor in disgust. This left Jak's chest exposed and he got a slight chill as a breeze came through. He picked up the faded, cream-colored shirt with stitches running through its frame. Jak put it on quickly to get rid of the chill. He saw that his eco ring was here too. He suddenly remembered his seals of Mar. He frantically reached up to see if they were still there. He found it quickly and let out a sigh once the red metal had touched his skin. It was the only thing that brought him a slight feeling of comfort. Well, there was one other thing, but it had left him…

Jak continued dressing himself until he finished putting on his dark green pants and old boots he realized that he was wearing some of his old Waste Lander clothes. He hadn't seen this stuff in a while.

"Alright Daxter, where is my morph gun?" Jak asked after looking over his outfit a final time.

"Its down stairs in the store closet!" Daxter said happily. So Jak was acting like himself again.

"Dang it. That means I'll have to go down there," Jak said with a sigh. He wasn't ready to face them yet, "Dax, did you see how far the Dark Eco dome went out?"

"Uh, yeah. It stopped at the bed. It was _really_ strange," Daxter said as he looked down.

"Okay let's go. Come on Daxter," Jak said as he walked back to his bed and leaned over so that Daxter could climb on without the threat of the glass.

"Heheh, let's do this," Daxter said with a wicked grin as Jak walked to the door. He replied again with his own wicked smile.

When they reached the door Jak paused for a split second, but he opened the door. He hoped that everybody wouldn't be sitting in front of the door. Thankfully they weren't, but he did hear noises coming from below in the bar. It sounded like everybody was down there.

Fun, more people for him to disappoint.

As Jak and Daxter walked down the stairs noiselessly Jak paused at the last step when he heard another sound. Someone was crying. Jak heard them comforting whoever that was crying. Instead of making their grand entrance Jak held back and listened to what was happening. Daxter started to open his mouth, but Jak gave him a sinister glare that made the Ottsel close his mouth.

"Come on, Kiera. Please come down," someone said. It sounded like Tess.

"But T—T – Tess, Jak and Daxter might be d-- dead right now!" The person sobbed. It sounded like Kiera.

Figures.

"I doubt it, hon."

"You do?"

"Well, no. But it's all we got. We have to keep some hope in this Hell hole."

"She's right, Kiera. Jak and Daxter won't die that easily," this voice sounded like Sig's. Why was he here?

"But, it-- it's so quiet up there! They're probably dead, I tell you! What am I going to do? We should go and see if they are alive!" Kiera sobbed again. She was _real_ hopeful, all right.

"Kiera, you know we have no right to do that. This is something that Jak doesn't need any of us to see," This voce sounded like the wise Sage Samos' voice. Jak gave a silent thank you to Samos for understanding that.

"Kiera, stop this. It is disgusting to look at!" That was definitely Ashelin, "I am sorry, but there is no sense of you feeling sorry for yourself over something that probably hasn't happened! So, get over it!"

After that everyone started yelling all at once. Some saying how Ashelin shouldn't have and how Kiera needed to get over herself. None of them would shut up. They were too focused on each other. They were all so tense from fear. You would have to be insane to come into the room now.

Jak walked into the room.

No one noticed Jak and Daxter's entrance. They just continued their useless bickering. Jak kept on walking until he came to the bar where they sat. They still didn't notice. Jak was really enjoying this. He took a seat and decided to make himself known. This was starting to get a little old. What did he have to do to make these people shut up? Turn Dark Jak and scare them out of their wits? No, he didn't have enough Dark Eco in his system to do that. There was always plan B…

"Hey, Tess! Could you get me a nice cold beer and my friend some purple stuff over here?" Jak said mockingly. Everyone sat there speechless with their eyes wide. They were all scared stiff. This was going to be fun, "What? A man can't have a stiff drink every now and then? Really you guys," Jak sat there with a smug smile on his face as the group continued to stare.

"What, no one is going to get it? Fine, I'll get it myself then. You guys want something? No, okay. More for Dax and me," Jak said as he walked behind the bar and grabbed two bottles, one for himself and one for Daxter. Wow, these guys were _slow! _ Jak walked back to his seat and handed Daxter his bottle of purple stuff. Jak let Daxter hop onto the table to drink his fill by shifting his weight so that his shoulder plate was leaned towards the table. Jak put his elbows on the table and sipped his amber liquid. Man, did he need a stiff drink! It was amazing that Daxter hadn't spoken yet. Jak needed Daxter to seal the deal so that their friends would come back into reality.

"Man, you guys are _slow!_" Daxter said loudly as he lifted his bottle to his lips and took a big swig. Looked like Daxter needed a stiff drink too. After that everyone began to shake their heads and rub their eyes. Was it really that unbelievable that Jak and Daxter were alive? Really, they're _Jak_ _and_ _Daxter_, they don't die very easily.

"You Chili peppers better not be pulling a fast one on us," Sig said, the first to speak. Jak just gave the man a large grin. They all knew Jak was enjoying this now. After that everyone started to talk all at once again. Not even Jak's highly tuned ears could make out what they were saying.

"Guys, shut up. I have no idea what you are saying. One at a time," Jak said as he took another sip from his drink. That shut them all up all right. It seemed to surprise them that Jak was so lively after being in a comma for a week. Really, it wasn't _that_ surprising. You'd think they would be used to this by now.

The next thing to happen was Tess tackling Daxter and giving him a big kiss. The next one to speak was Torn.

"Glad to see you're alive, Jakass," The Commander said coolly. He then returned to his own drink, taking a huge swig. So Jak had gotten Torn, too. The next person to speak was Samos.

"Jak my boy, how are you and the living doormat alive?" The Green Eco Sage inquired. Figures the old man wanted to know.

"Trust me, you don't want to know," Jak told Samos as he returned to his drink with a crocked smile. This was the best fun he had had in years! Too bad it was only going to last a few more seconds. Then he would seem like a total Jerk. Ashelin decided that it was her time to speak now.

"If you ever do that again, I'll kill you myself… Glad to have you back, Jak," Ashelin said as she turned to Torn and took a seat beside him.

Kiera didn't say anything. She just sat there with her ragged hair and bloodshot eyes. She disgusted Jak then. He didn't even understand how he could even look at this woman. How he could even be friends with her. She was just like the citizens of Haven. She feared what she didn't understand, too. She feared Jak, too. Jak couldn't take looking at her any longer. He looked her in the eyes, and coldly turned away to continue his stiff drink. He wasn't in a forgiving mood.

_Pathetic._

You weren't expecting that were you, visitors? I did.

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Wooh, that was long! It was 9 pages on Word. If you want to see Bob Rafei's design go here: /galleries/jak3/characters/source/jak_armor_

I actually like this design better and I felt it should be noticed so I put it in the story. This Chapter's creation is thanks to Dark Jak!

Me: Here is your cookie....

Dark Jak: YES!

Me: And here is Gol.

Dark Jak: What!?

Me: You didn't say it last Chapter and I warned you that Gol would show up next time you got a cookie.

Gol: COOKIE!

Jak: Dude, you are worse then him.

Light Jak: Yeah, and thats saying something!

Me: Whatever.

Dark Jak: HEY! KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY COOKIE DAMN IT!!!

Gol: GIVE IT!

Me: Hmm, this is interesting.

Light Jak: Yes, quite funny.

Jak: Yeah, you should do this more often.

Dark Jak: NO! SHE SHOULD NOT DO THIS MORE OFTEN!

Me: Oh, but it is so much fun!

Anyway, please **review**! It will help the next chapter come soon and be nice and long! :)

**Review.**


	8. Chapter 8 Commencement

Hello there my dear readers! Here is the next chapter of Such A Pure Thing. I had wished to get this in before New Year's, but I guess one day off isn't bad. Anyway, happy belated Christmas and a Happy New Year! Also, if I have not responded to any private messages lately, I am sorry. I will respond **very** soon.

Now, please, **read** and **review**!

I own none of these characters. They all belong to Naughty Dog Inc.

Summary:

Things are starting to go back to normal. Except Jak is just about as sadistic as the Devil again. However, he has decided to do something. So, let it begin!

This chapter is rated Teen for mild language by Jak.

Again, **REVIEW**.

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8. Commencement

Five weeks had passed since Jak had been in the coma. However, he felt as powerful and strong as when he had been fifteen. Back when he had just gotten his Dark Eco powers, but he had not had Light Eco. He was able to let his darker and lighter forms out at will and have total control. No more sudden black outs or pieces of his memory gone. He felt like a new man. He felt invincible.

Haven's bleak sky rang with sirens in the polluted air. Jak was running through the snow-covered streets, giving out fierce battle cries and shooting at the random bystander. He did not care what he shot, as long as it was something. He didn't care about his "image" any more. He didn't care if he got banished to the center of the earth. Jak just wanted to have his fun.

Everyone had been deeply shocked by how sadistic Jak had become. They had all thought that they had gotten rid of that Hell bent teenager long ago. Neither Jak's friends' concerns, nor the snow, could stop him. He planned to live up this long lasting adrenaline rush as much as he could. He did not really care about answers while he was having his fun, but late at night Jak's mind would begin to wander. He would think about why he was like this again. He knew that he needed these answers, but then something crappy would probably happen. Jak planned to keep as far away from the subject as he possibly could.

After thinking about this one of two things would happen. He would either end up lying on his bed awake all night, or he would fall asleep. However, he would end up screaming from nightmares only an hour or two later. Yes, Jak had control over his Eco powers, but the psychological damage had been done. Jak would always have nightmares after he had been tormented in prison.

Daxter had not really been worried about Jak, even with his current behavior. He just figured that Jak was being bi-polar and that this would end eventually. Also, Daxter was having fun feeling some sense of freedom again. They had both missed this feeling. The city was ticked at them for it, but they were always like that. Why did it matter? Jak would prefer a short, happy life to a long, miserable life any day. Daxter would like a long and happy life, but why live if you are not happy?

"Wooh, Jak! You better fill up that cartridge quick! The people are in a mob. Surprised they'd do it in this dang snow," Daxter urged as he sat on Jak's shoulder. Jak had a wide, devilish grin on his face as he jammed the cartridges into their slots. He shoved in the last bullet and jumped on his hover board as he ran over people. He was enjoying this _way_ too much.

"Man! Have I missed this! " Jak yelled as he reached the docks and hover onto the surface of the ice covered water. Jak pulled the Jet Board from under his feet and pulled out his Blaster. He fired at the ice until it cracked open, leaving a gaping hole a few feet away. Jak ran to the hole, dogging bullets from the mob. Jak and Daxter were extremely lucky that the attacking mob had very weak guns, otherwise the ice would have exploded under their feet.

"No Jak! Not the water! I just took a ba---" Daxter was cut off when Jak dove into the water. He swam until he saw the murky shadow in the water of a building. A thick layer of ice covered Jak and Daxter. Jak dove deeper until he had a clear view of the ice. His lungs were starting to burn in pain from the lack of oxygen. He swam upward at a incredible ramming speed. The frozen water broke open immediately when Jak's body hit it. He looked up and saw a hole in the floor above him. Jak and Daxter inhaled a loud, hard breath when they broke the surface. Jak was happy to hear the melodious song of sirens and people yelling in the distance. He jumped out of the water and walked on the ice to one of the make shift posts that held the building up. He climbed up the rotten wood and jumped for the hole. His callused hands grabbed the rim and pulled his freezing, wet body up. Jak walked out of the corner and stood on a crimson red carpet. Jak sat down and took Daxter off his shoulder. He then placed Daxter on the ground and began to look around the hut. There was usually a blanket around here.

Where were the two heroes, you ask? Why, they sat in the Oracle's hut, with its glittering candles, smooth tapestries, and the ancient Precursor Idle with its glowing jade, blue eyes. Jak continued to search around the warm sanctuary as Daxter started to recover from his short-lived laryngitis.

"J-j-jak, you c-c-can not do this when it is a f-f-fa-flippin' 21 degrees outside! It'll be the aa-nd of me!" Daxter complained while shivering," And y-y-you've been wearing that same clothes for the past five weeks! I doubt they could get even dirtier now."

Jak ignored him and continued his search for a blanket. He went behind the Idle and saw a purple blanket with blue strips on it. He picked it up and walked back to Daxter. Jak then kneeled down and placed the blanket around his wet, cold friend. Jak did not mind. Daxter deserved this blanket more than him. After all, Jak was the one that had gotten him all wet. Jak sat down on the long carpet and let out a sigh. His mind was starting to wander again.

"Dax?" Jak asked as he gazed into the hole in the corner.

"Y-yes'um?" Daxter replied, trying to warm himself.

"Remember how we got that hole?" Jak quizzed as a smile crept across his face.

"O'yeah. We were being chased, and _instead_ of jumping in the water you ran here. There were like seven patrols after us. It was pretty crazy."

"Hmph, we slid in and the door closed. I stood up and put my back against the wall with my gun out."

"Then ya heard a noise in that corner and shot at it. Leaving the gaping hole, in all its glory, there. Surprised that the place didn't fall down then and there. The bug you toasted didn't seem to happy as it went up to heaven with Tick."

"Tick?"

Daxter ignored the question, "Good thing there are these blankets, eh? I'd probably gotten a cold by now thanks to you without these things!" Daxter hollered as he went even deeper into his fuzzy blanket.

"I wonder how this place always stays lit," Jak, wondered out loud as he looked at the candles all aglow, "They couldn't stay lit on their own."

"Well, I sure don't know. And I don't give a rip about them either!" Daxter said grumpily. He went even deeper into the blankets.

"Why are you so damn cranky?" Jak inquired when he dropped his gaze onto the Ottsel.

"Cause someone has been screaming their head off at night! I don't get any sleep anymore," Daxter grumbled as he looked up at his friend. However, he wished that he could have taken that back. He saw Jak's face go blank and his gaze went down onto the red carpet. Daxter knew he shouldn't have said that, but he _was_ so sleep deprived lately that he could barely even think straight! Daxter knew that wasn't a good enough excuse, no matter how true it was. Jak must have been aching in pain for the last couple of days from all of those nightmares. Those feelings and pain could never be taken away, and with those feelings came the never-ending dreams. Jak knew that well enough, "Look, Jak. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, Buddy. It was stupid of me. I should k---"

"It isn't your fault that I can't deal with this…" Jak said, giving a large, tired sigh, he didn't blame Daxter for getting ticked at him. It would be strange if he didn't. The awkward silence felt stagnant in the air.

"Do you know what time it is, Jak?" The Precursor asked, trying to make some small talk.

"No."

"Could you check your communicator?"

"Sure… Says that it is 9 pm. Damn it," Jak said as he stared at the small device. They couldn't leave now; the patrols would be so thick now that it would take a couple of hours to get back to the house, "Let's crash here for the night."

Jak rose from his seat and started to jog around the room.

"Okay then. Why you gettin' up?"

"I need to move."

"Why ya so charged up all of a sudden?" Daxter inquired as he popped his furry mug out of the blanket.

"I don't know," Jak answered as jumped onto the Precursor Idle. He climbed up it until he stood on its head. He bent down and sprang into the air. He grabbed a long pole that hung above him. He flipped around until he did a summer salt in the air. Jak finished his performance with a cat-like landing on a thick, wooden beam.

"So, you plan to solve this by doing gymnastics?" Daxter said with a sarcastic smile.

"No…." Jak said with a thick frown. He looked around for a way down from his high perch. He was going to have to jump. Jak leaped off the beam, expecting a shock of pain to run through his legs, but he landed softly on the ground instead, "Dax, tomorrow we are going to Spargus to see Sig. He should be there by now."

"Why the sudden change of plans?" Daxter said as he went back down into the fuzzy blanket.

"I need some answers. I should have been hurt when I jumped off that beam, but I didn't feel a thing. I can't ignore this anymore," Jak stated.

"Never stopped you from doing it before," grumbled Daxter, "Okay, tomorrow, Spargus. Wait, why do we need to see Sig?"

"I need to use the Dune Hopper to get to the Monk Temple."

"Oh. Forgot about that place. Thought it was gone after our little racing spree. Guess that means Coloring Book is still there… Great."

Jak just gave a small smile and rolled his eyes as he walked to his friend. He lied down beside Daxter on the carpet. Jak took of his goggles and Eco Ring, and then he put his hands behind his head. Before Jak could close his eyes had shut he saw six candles flicker out by the Precursor Idle.

Jak slept well that night. Well, for Jak at least. He still had a nightmare, but it was not as strong as usual. Instead of seeing himself killing everyone he saw three, short figures. They started to speak in a language he could not understand. Rather, one he did not want to hear.

Jak continued to stare at the three beings in his dream. He saw a light grow behind them. It was a dazzling light made up of shades of green, violet, and blue. The light grew so bright that Jak felt as if he was going to be blinded. In the beams of light, standing behind the beings, he saw three figures. In the blue light he saw Light Jak, but this Light Jak looked like him when he had been a Waste Lander. In the green light he saw himself, but he looked like how he had been before he had come to Haven. In the violet beam of light stood Dark Jak. Only, this one looked like him when he had joined the Underground.

Jak's eyes widened when he saw each Jak grow into the size of a two-story building. They each brought a hand down and grabbed Jak before he could react. When he glared at the three begins of light that held him they all blended together. When they were done a giant purple, blue, and green version of how Jak currently looked was holding him. He squirmed in their grip, but he only felt an electric shock run through his body. He looked up only to see the short beings talking again. The middle one waved a small hand in the air and yelled at Jak. It then hit a tall staff on the black ground. In the burst of sudden light Jak had seen who it was.

Jak awoke breathing hard and sweating. Jak looked down and saw a tan blanket covering his lower torso and legs. Who had done this? Jak looked to the left and saw Daxter curled in a ball next to him. Jak raised his hand and ran it through his green, blonde hair. He knew what he had seen, and he had learned that it was a good thing usually to listen to his dreams.

Jak gazed upward, but quickly flinched away from the sunlight coming through the cracks in the boards. Jak leaned over and awoke his sleeping friend. Who know what the Ottsel was dreaming about in that perverted mind of his? At least there were not any socks here.

"Hmm? Five more minutes. Five more minutes," Daxter said groggily as he rolled over. Jak rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Hey Dax, Tess is here and she says she has a special "present" for you," Jak said with a sarcastic smile.

"What?! Come on Baby! …Where is she?" Daxter said with big eyes and an even bigger smile, "HAHAHA. Very funny Jak. I'm just laughing' all over."

"Perv."

"Yeah, and you're any better?" Daxter replied as he stretched in his blanket.

"Yes," Jak said mockingly while he grabbed his signature goggles and Eco Ring.

"Yeah, and I am a mystical Yakkow breed that the Precursors created for themselves," Daxter said jokingly, giving Jak a punch in the arm. Jak gave a small grin and flexed his arms.

"Let's get goin', Dax," Jak told the Precursor as he grabbed the tan blanket, "Did you see anyone come in here last night?"

"No. Why?"

"Its nothing. Lets get out of this dump."

"Ya took the words right out of my mouth. To Spargus," Daxter said with a grin, running up to Jak. He gave a small hop and grabbed Jak's shoulder guard. Jak ran out of the building and jumped onto the Jet Board on the first chance he got, running over people the entire way.

One of the people he ran into stopped and gave him a hateful glare. Jak was not very surprised by it, but this glare seemed to be for a deeper reason. The person wore a grey cloak and hood that covered their face, only leaving the eyes showing. Jak paused for a moment and looked at the person with a morbid curiosity. However, his concentration was broken by Daxter's one-liners for him to keep on moving. Jak looked back once more to see the cloaked figure run into a sea of people. However, he did not see person run into the Precursor Idle's "temple."

Jak ignored it and hovered to the Naughty Ottsel. Jak passed it and continued down the metal road until he reached the ship that would take him to Spargus. He jumped off the Jet Board and walked to it. Jak leaped onto the ship and waited for it to take off. It left the ground quickly after he had landed in the aircraft.

Daxter jumped off Jak's shoulder and sat on the metal benches. Jak took a seat beside him and waited for them to reach Spargus. It always surprised him how little time it took them to reach the city.

"Looks we're here Jak," Daxter said a few minutes later when he looked out the tinted windows.

"Let's do this," Jak stated as he extended an arm for Daxter. He accepted it and climbed onto his buddy's trusty shoulder. Jak jumped off the ship with a thud.

Jak ran to the gates of Spargus and did a roll jump through the doors. He walked in and looked around the garage. The Dune Hopper was not there. Jak ran to the door and jogged in place, waiting for the gate to open. When it opened Jak jumped over the metal gears and ran to the nearest Leaper. He jumped on the green lizard and gave it a kick in the sides.

"WHO—AAAH! Not so fast Jak! I like to keep the fur on my body!" Daxter yelled when Jak made the Leaper go top speed.

Jak ignored the comment and rode to the King's hall. He jumped off the creature and walked up to the giant door. It unlatched quickly and he walked to the elevator. As soon as Jak's feet made contact with the wood it began to take him to the throne room. Jak jumped off the elevator and ran through the water, not caring if he got wet.

"Why, isn't it the Chili Peppers?" Sig said with a grin.

"Hey, Sig," Jak replied as he walked up to the throne. Sig sat on his throne, Peace Maker in his hand. The scepter of the king of Spargus leaned against the great chair. It looked like Sig was taking a break from ruling and cleaning his Peace Maker.

"What ya'll doing here? Haven city to dull for you two?" Sig asked with a laugh as he placed his large gun on the floor and stood.

"Course, it was too much for Jak to handle. I said that Haven was to soft and that we should head over here for some real action," Daxter answered with his signature grin.

"We need to use the Dune Hopper. Is the Monk Temple still standing?" Jak inquired.

"The only thing that could bring that place down is the Precursors themselves. Kleiver has the Dune Hopper right now, but I think he'll be back any second, Chili Peppers," Sig answered as he walked over to the giant window, "Here he comes now."

"Thanks Sig, see you later," Jak said as he jogged to the elevator.

"It isn't that simple, boys. Kleiver has been real protective over those cars ever since you beat him in Kras City. I don't know why, but I doubt he'll lend it to you."

"Great. Just another thing to make my day _so_ much more enjoyable," Daxter said sarcastically as Jak jumped onto the elevator.

"Heheh, just watch yourselves out there. The Dessert has been pretty nasty lately."

"Thanks for the tip, Sig," Jak replied as the elevator started to head down.

"See you two later," Sig called as he returned to his Peace Maker.

"Geez, how often does he clean that thing? The guy needs therapy if he is that obsessed with it," Daxter said obnoxiously.

"I HEARD THAT CHILIPEPPER!" Sig yelled from the hall.

"My God Daxter, is it really _that_ hard to not piss anyone off?" Jak said with a frown.

"What? It is the truth! Not my fault the guy doesn't have a sense of humor," Daxter yelled back.

"According to you know one has a sense of humor."

"Well, no one does!" Daxter yelled, flaying his arms in the air.

Jak ignored Daxter and grabbed the green Leaper that he had left by the door. Jak gave the lizard an extra hard kick in the side. The Leaper bolted with a squawk. Jak made sharp turns and jumped over the warriors. If he landed on one of them they would fight back, unlike the people in Haven.

Man, had he missed Spargus!

Jak made some quick, sharp turns and pulled back on the Leaper's harness to make it stop. He jumped off the creature and waited for the doors to open. He walked in to see Kleiver getting out of the Dune Hopper. Jak was surprised that the car could even move with Kleiver in it.

"Well, isn't it the two little Buggers that cost me trophy back in Kras," Kleiver jeered as he walked over with a wicked grin.

"Yeah, well it wasn't much of a race. You drive like a girl!" Daxter said with a wide, devilish grin.

"That's a mighty fine complement seeing as a girl saved ya Bugger's hides," Kleiver spat back. Daxter hit himself on the head. He had set himself up for that, but Daxter wasn't about to be out foxed.

"We need to use the Dune Hopper," Jak ordered before Daxter could open his big mouth.

"Ya'll aren't getting off that easy. You've got to race me for it, and let's make it interesting," Kleiver said as he walked up to Jak threateningly, "I still want that Rat of yer's for a stew. I get him and ten Precursor orbs for winning."

"And what do I get when I win?" queried Jak.

Jak was _always_ up for a race.

"Its IF ya race ya piece of dung," Kleiver roared, "You'll get five Precursor orbs and ya get to keep yer pet."

"HEY! Why do we get five?!" Daxter hollered with his hands in the air.

"Its that or nothin'," Kleiver replied to the Ottsel's meaningless protest.

"Well, it doesn't matter because Jak would never ever do ---"

"Your on," Jak stated with a crooked grin, "What? We'll win, and we need that car."

"Alright, its all settled now. You get the Sand Shark, and I'll get… Heheh, I'll just get the Dune Hopper. Don't scratch the paint boys," Kleiver said while he walked back to the Dune Hopper and jumped in.

Damn it, now Jak couldn't beat the car to a pulp without ruining the ride he needed. It looked like the guns on the sand Shark were out of the picture now. He really loathed Kleiver.

"Here we go again…." Daxter mumbled as Jak ran to the Sand shark and jumped in. He pulled down his goggles and put his scarf over his face. Jak turned the ignition and drove out the door with Kleiver on his heels.

This was going to be one Hell of a race, visitors.

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Well, I hope this was mildly entertaining for you all. Seeing as nothing really happened in this chapter... I promise that you might get to see Coloring Book and Kleiver burnt to a crisp in the next chapter. Also, did I spell Kleiver's name right? If so, could someone tell me? This chapter was six pages on word.

This chapter is thanks to Jak.

Me: Alright! Jak it is your time for a cookie! ... Wait, where is everyone??

Note: Everyone has gone out to a New Year's Party. See you at 1 am.

Me:.. Wait, it IS 1 am! (looks to the left) Oh my God! They have liquor!

Dark Jak: (Hic) HEY! W-why didn't I get a cookie?! (Hic)

Me: Oh my... 0_0 EVERYONE, RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!! NO! REALLY! DARK JAK IS GOING TO EET JUU!

Anyway, Happy New Year and have fun running away from Dark Jak!

**READ AND REVIEW**, please.


	9. Chapter 9 Competition

Sweet Jesus! I finally got something up for this story! It took near to an entire summer to do so, but I got it up! If this is sloppy writing, I am sorry. I'm just Glad to have something up.

All Jak characters belong to Naughty Dog.

Story belongs to me.

THERE IS EXTREME LANGUAGE HERE. IF YOU ARE AT ALL OFFENDED BY THE F*** WORD, THEN I AM SORRY!

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Chapter 9. Competition

The sun burnt Jak's tan skin. He was wearing a shirt, but the blinding sun was burning through the light, dark threaded material. The hard, granular sand was hitting his goggles, causing an annoying _pitter_-_patter_ noise. Even with Jak's scarf covering his face, he was breathing in sand and smoke from the ignition.

He was pushing the machine to its very limits and the race was not going well. His hand kept on moving towards the Sand Shark's itinerary, but Jak pulled back before the guns could shoot at the Dune Hopper. If the Dune Hopper was destroyed it wouldn't be of any use to him. If Jak didn't do something soon to turn this race around they would loose the Dune Hopper. Also, if Jak lost this he was going to lose a plenteous amount of pride.

Kleiver was currently on his fourth, out of five, lap. He was ahead of Jak and Daxter by one, and Kleiver was grabbing all of the turbos before the Sand Shark. Without the turbos the Sand Shark couldn't get any extra health points. Jak was running out of options. He might have to go Light Jak and stop time so that he could get closer to Kleiver. However, if Jak was one thing at all it was not a cheater.

"I hate sand!" Daxter yelled over the noise of the engine and wind. He pulled his goggles down further, "Jak, what are you gonna do if Kleiver wins?!" Jak looked away from the road and put his left hand on the button for the guns in response.

"Kleiver better hope he loses," Daxter mumbled to himself.

Jak finally let himself use the weapons. Kleiver had rammed them off the road so many times that Jak hoped they still worked. He had his fingers poised for the gun's switch, waiting for the precise moment. Jak saw the Dune Hopper's front emerge from cave. Jak mashed the button down, and the guns let out a furry of red beams, causing an avalanche of stone. Jak heard the _scree _of a panicked stop inside the cave. If he was lucky the Dune Hopper was only scratched.

Jak and Daxter heard yelling and a strange _whirr_ sound come from inside the cave. Jak continued into the cave until they sound the source of the sound. Rocks had fallen all around the Dune Hopper and Kleiver. There was a wall of rock in front of the car and a pile of the orange stone behind him, and the cavern was too narrow for him to get out. The best part was that Kleiver's front wheel was in the air because of a large rock wedged under it. It would be hard to get the car out of there, but it was worth it to see the look on Kleiver's flustered face.

"Damn it," Kleiver mumbled as he pushed hard on the pedal, "I don't care if ya win er lose now. I'm gonna fry that rat either way!"

"Good luck getting out of that thing, Fatty!" Daxter yelled happily. It wasn't Daxter's most original name, but it worked. Kleiver raised his fist and growled at Daxter.

"Come on Dax, we gotta get going," Jak mumbled through the red cloth, "Leave him to rot here."

Daxter just cackled to himself as they drove away, "So Jak, what we gonna do now that the cave is closed off?"

"…"

"WHAT!?"

"Hey, you wanna try driving this thing, not killing our sorry asses, and come up with a way to not bomb this thing?" Jak yelled at Daxter, taking his eyes off the road.

"Well, you aren't doing a very good job apparently!" Daxter yelled back.

"Yeah, why?"

"Cause we are bout to go into the freaking ocean!"

"What?" Jak gasped. His eyes widened when he saw them only a few feet from the edge of the cliff. "Crap."

"Yeah. NOW WHAT?!" Daxter yelled at Jak's long ears, grabbing Jak's shoulder. Jak winced slightly just as he grabbed Daxter and jumped out of the Sand Shark just as it teetered off the edge. Jak sat on the ground holding Daxter for a spilt second. Then he realized that he was…. holding Daxter. Jak placed the Ottsel on the ground.

Just before Daxter could spit all of the sand out of his mouth a red beam shot over Jak's hair, slightly burning the top of it. Jak lifted his goggles off his face to see what had nearly shot him. They looked in the direction of the beam to see Kleiver with an exceptionally large gun in his hands. It looked like he was getting ready to shoot at them again. Jak jumped up and grabbed Daxter once more.

"Darn it, when will that big lug stop?" Daxter yelled as he jumped to Jak's shoulder guard.

"When the Precursors _aren't_ Ottsels!"

"…Darn it! Think you could use those Precursor given powers of yours, eh Buddy?"

"Yeah," Jak whispered. He stopped in his tracks and tried to find any Light Eco in his system. He found it and summoned it to the surface. Only, when he clapped his hands shut to stop time something unexpected happened.

To be exact, nothing happened.

"Jak!" Daxter hollered. "Nothings happening! And Kleiver ain't getting any slower!"

"What?" Jak said, starring at his tan, non-blue hands. He didn't understand. He could feel the Light power at his fingertips! Why wasn't it working?

"Yeah, now start moving!" Daxter yowled, but Jak just continued to stare at his hands. "Come on, Man! We are gonna get killed at this rate! JAK!"

Jak shook his head clear and took his morph gun out, which he turned into the Blaster mode. Jak spun around and shot Kleiver in the leg. Jak and Daxter could hear Kleiver yelling out curses as they ran across the track.

"That should keep Kleiver busy for a minute, Dax." Jak said as they ran.

"Yeah, yeah. But how are we going to win this thing without the Sand Shark?"

"I guess that we won't," Jak mumbled under his breath.

"Any ideas, Jak?" Daxter said frantically.

Jak remained silent.

"Well, if we can't win a car race because neither of us have any part of a car to actually win, then it is a tie, right?" Daxter said, drumming his fingers on Jak's armguard.

"Dax, you're a genius!" Jak yelled suddenly.

"Well, it took ya long enough!" Dax yelled back, "Wait, why am I genius this time?"

"No time to ask," Jak yelled, "I hope that this works this time!"

"What work?" Dax screeched as Jak clapped extremely hard, causing a blue ripple to explode from his hands, "Oh, that."

"_Yes_," Jak thought to himself. He lifted himself up into the air and flew over the bleeding-frozen-in-time Kleiver. Jak flew into the cave and landed by the Dune Hopper. Just as his feet hit the ground, the surroundings and Jak turned back to their normal coloring.

Jak took out his morph gun again and morphed it into the Vulcan mode. He shot at the front headlights of the Dune Hopper until one fell off. He fell to the ground with a _thump_ in the sand. Jak ran over and scooped it out of the sand and ran back outside.

"Jak, what are we doing?" Dax yelled as Jak ran to the side of the cave. "Ja— "

However, Daxter was cut short when Jak dodged a green bullet that sped past their heads. Jak spun around to see what had caused it.

They had forgotten about Kleiver.

Kleiver was barely standing a yard or two away from them in a pool of blood surrounding his injured leg. The injury itself was clotted with sand, rags, and was held together by Kleiver's left hand. His large blaster rested on his shoulder with the strap fluttering in the air, and the gun was still pointed at their heads.

But it soon fell out of his hands and off target. Jak had shot at Kleiver's gun right out of his hands with Jak's still armed Vulcan. The shot did not hit Kleiver, but it sent the gun flying.

"God damn you, Jak!" Kleiver yelled and shacked his meaty fist in the air," You wriggly little son of a bitch!"

Jak ignored him after that, put up the morph gun, got a tight grip on the headlight, and started to climb the exterior layer of the cavern; however, Jak stopped when he reached the top of the flat topped, terracotta colored cavern.

Kleiver had yelled something that he shouldn't have yelled, "Yeah, run you bastard! Run like that no good fucker of a King Damas!"

"Jak, don't listen to him," Daxter said when he saw how angry Jak had become, rutted to the ground. Jak spun around however and took out his morph gun again. This time it was in Peace Maker mode.

"I'VE ALREADY SHOT ONE OF YOUR LEGS!" Jak yelled at the man, "DO YOU REALLY WANT THE OTHER ONE GONE, OR DO YOU JUST WANT TO DIE SLOWLY FOR INSULTING MY FATHER?!" Jak jumped down form the tall cavern. He felt no impact from the fall. It was just like in the Precursor Idle's hut.

Kleiver fell over into the sand.

"FUCK IT," Jak yelled at him through bared teeth as he walked toward Kleiver's frightened face, "You don't deserve a choice! Die you piece of shit!"

"_No_!" Kleiver yelled as Jak morphed into Dark Jak in a split second and lunged at Kleiver. Jak cut off both of Kleiver's legs first. Even more blood pooled. Kleiver shouted out in agony. Jak then cut off both of his arms. Kleiver cried out in anguish and begged for mercy. Jak ignored him.

"Die," Jak whispered in a gravelly, harsh, and unused voice. With those final words Jak pierced Kleiver's heart with his long, ebony black claws.

Jak slowly morphed back into his normal, green haired state as he stared at the body and gore. He stood over the corpse for what seemed an eternity. Finally Daxter spoke.

"Jak?"

Jak nodded in response.

"What are we going to do about the body and blood?"

"Throw it into the ocean."

"Won't it, uh, float?" Daxter said, trying to not gaze upon the corpse.

"Yeah," Jak looked around and saw Kleiver's gun. It hadn't landed very far away from him. If he had seen it, Kleiver might have been able to shoot him before Jak had turned, but that didn't matter now. "We could tie his gun to him. It looks heavy."

"Okay, lets do this."

"Right," Jak grabbed the gun and placed it next to Kleiver. Jak then gathered Kleiver's limbs and placed them on Kleiver. Jak then put the gun on top and the strap secured the mass together. The leather strap was sturdy and large enough to do this, surprisingly.

Jak lugged the body to the ocean cliff and threw the body into the watery depths and watched it sink out of sight. A watery grave was suitable for such a horrid man. Jak felt that he would deserve the same when it was his time.

"Jak, what about the blood?" Daxter asked timidly.

"We'll just shift the sand around," Jak said, his eyes blank, as he turned away from the grave, "Make it look like there was never anything there."

"We are going to need help to get the Dune Hopper out of there."

"Yeah."

"What are we gonna tell, Sig?" Dax asked, but Jak had an answer.

"No one knew what either of us was driving. We will just say that Kleiver was driving the sand shark and drove it into the ocean because of a misfire into the cave, causing the avalanche inside," Jak told Dax; his eyes still blank. "And that I got stuck in it because of all the rubble."

"So we are going to lie?" Dax said.

"It is what I do best," Jak said with an empty smile. But, Jak murmured something under his breath at the last instant, "Besides murder that is."

"Well, we better hurry, buddy," Daxter said, "We have a long walk back, and it is going to be dark in two hours."

"We're going to the Monk Temple for sure tomorrow though," Jak promised to himself and Daxter.

"Like Hell we are!" Daxter said happily. Jak smiled a smile full of meaning this time..

"Lets go, Dax," Jak said as he walked away; he didn't look back at the grave this time. Instead he walked on, thinking of his father.

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